Starstruck Bromance
by steelguardsexual
Summary: A collection of scenes that didn't make the final cut of the series, or random drabbles not connected with the plot. May include awkward bromantic moments, charming beasts, and men being repeatedly punched by Lightning. Follows the Starstruck series.
1. How old are you, again?

**Title:** _Eruyt Village; or, How old are you, again?_**  
Story:** _Bad Bromance_**  
Author's Note:** _I wanted to include this in the original story, but I didn't have the time to put it in. But, just for funzies, here's what could have been in the story. More Snow/Ashe moments, and Snow being...well, Snow. xD_

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"_An alliance between Dalmasca and the Empire_?"

Basch and Ashe were walking side by side, Snow walking a short distance behind them, while the others led the way into the Golmore Jungle. The princess had been informing her knight about the possible treaty between Dalmasca and Archadia, the only way to stop the coming war between empires.

"Reason tells me t'is the only course," she answered, looking down at her feet as she walked. "We must avoid war with the Empire at all cost. Yet I fear I could not bear the same. Had I but the strength—"

"A shame perhaps for you and I," Basch interrupted. "But for Dalmasca it is hope!"

"And you can just accept this, can you?"

He nodded. "After Vayne's ruse I had abandoned hope for honor...yet I never did forget my knightly vows. If I could protect but one person from war's horror, then I would bear any shame. I would bear it proudly. I could not defend my home. What is shame to me?"

"My people hate the Empire. They will _not_ accept this."

"There is hope." He looked toward Vaan, Penelo, and Larsa walking ahead of the group, smiling and laughing at something the young thief had said. "Hope for a future where we can join hands as brothers."

Basch left the princess' side, and Snow took that as a sign for his turn to talk with her. They hadn't talked much since their discussion the night before, and, to be honest, he was almost trying to avoid her. She seemed to have an idea about Ragnarok, after hearing Vossler mention it moments before he died. Snow didn't want to think about what would happen if she found out the real truth...

He walked over to her, and Ashe smiled when she met his gaze. Again, he thought of Serah when her saw her smile. "Still worried about what's to come?" he asked, falling in step with her.

"Everyone wonders about their fate," she answered. "I am no different."

"I don't like thinking about those kind of things. Heroes never die, you know. So, we're guaranteed to live until the end of this trip."

"Do you really believe that?"

He grinned. "I don't see why not. If there's just one person out there who thinks every thing's gonna be all right in the end, then we'll get through this."

"I hope you're right, Snow."

When they entered the Golmore Jungle, Fran seemed to be a tad bit on edge. Balthier seemed agitated more than usual, too, but Snow figured he was just in one of his 'moods'. But when they arrived at a gate blocking their path, he understood why the two sky pirates were anxious.

Ashe stood in front of the gate with a puzzled look in her eyes. "I do not understand," she stated, touching a finger to her chin. "What is it?"

"The jungle denies us our passage," Fran answered, turning away from the barrier.

"What have we done?"

"We?" She shook her head as she walked back the way they came. "No. I."

While Vaan attempted to get their attention, Snow followed Balthier and Fran down the walkway. The others gave them confused looks, and for once, Snow didn't have anything to say. "Making an appearance?" Balthier asked his partner, walking at her side.

"I am."

He almost smirked. "I thought you'd left for good."

"Our choices are few," she told him, keeping her eyes forward as she walked down the stairs. "This is as much for you as it is for me." Balthier stopped walking halfway down the steps, making Snow almost walk right into him. Fran turned around once she stood a few feet below them and smiled gently. "You are ill at ease," she stated. "The nethicite troubles you? Or, perhaps it is your past? You've let your eyes betray your heart, my partner."

They shared a silent conversation after that, something that Snow didn't really know. Balthier sighed heavily and followed her, standing at her side while she waved a finger around. There was energy emulating from it, and she summoned an unknown magickal force. Vaan, having chased after the three, briskly walked over to them.

"What are you doing?" he asked, naive as always.

"Soon you will learn," Fran said, glancing in his direction when she lowered her arm. A path appeared before them, opening the way to a place no one but Fran knew. At least, until she spoke again. "We go to seek the aid of the viera who dwell ahead."

"I bet they'll be glad to see you after so long," Penelo said, walking up beside her fellow orphan. Ashe and Basch stood at the top of the stairs, watching the others below.

Fran shook her head. "I am unwelcome. An unsought guest in their wood. In the village ahead you will find her: Mjrn. Bring her to me. She will know why you call her."

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Snow led the group into the village of the viera, though Balthier would often have to grab his arm and drag him along. Seeing so many viera at once proved to be overwhelming for the blond, despite his dedication to his wife back in the other world. Vaan was having just as much trouble, and it seemed that only Balthier and Basch were able to keep themselves calm around the viera. As for Larsa—well, he was far too young to understand.

They found a group of viera near the end of the village, but when Vaan tried to talk to them, they only stared. Snow stepped forward. "Mjrn lives here, doesn't she?" he asked. "We're here to see her."

A noble-looking viera walked out from the group, and Snow almost mistook her for Fran. They had the same determined glint in their eyes. "You will leave at once," she stated. "It is not allowed for humes to walk on these grounds."

"We'll go as soon as we've seen Mjrn."

"If you can find her."

What was that supposed to mean? "We're not leaving until you let us see her." The viera looked away from him, silent, and Snow rolled his eyes. "Fine, then. We'll go find her ourselves."

When he turned away, ready to leave, Fran waltzed right past him and to the group of viera. Balthier didn't seem surprised that his partner had made an appearance after all, smirking when she went past him. "I've heard the voice of the Wood. She says Mjrn is not in the village. Jote. Where has she gone?"

"Why do you ask?" Jote folded her arms across her chest. "The Wood tells us where she has gone. Or, can you not hear Her?" The younger viera cast her eyes downward. "You cannot. Your ears are dull from hearing _their_ harsh speech, I think. Viera who have abandoned the Wood are viera no longer. Mjrn, too, has left Her embrace."

"And you forsake them in turn?" Balthier asked.

"It is the will of the village. Viera must live always with the Wood. So is the Green Word, and so is our law."

Snow clapped a hand on Balthier's shoulder, knowing all to well that he would be frustrated with those who argued with his partner. "Then we'll let you worry about keeping your _laws_. Just do us a favor and stay out of our way. We'll find Mjrn ourselves, and bring her back. All right?"

A wind arose from under Jote as she raised her arms, a bright light shining from above. Snow thought she was summoning an unknown force to strike them down and kill them, but then he remembered that all he had to do was tell Balthier to kill it for them. He looked at the sky pirate, who, as if he knew what Snow was thinking, smacked him upside the head.

"Our sister has left the Wood and gone west," Jote announced. "She wanders warrens among men who hide themselves in clothes of cold iron. Thus to me the Wood spoken."

Fran faced her elder sister. "The viera may begin as part of the Wood, but it is not the only end that we may choose."

"The same words I heard fifty years ago. You have not changed, my sister."

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"Not bad, Ice," Balthier said as the group headed back into the Golmore Jungle. "Didn't think we'd get any information out of that one. So then, what was she saying about men in a warren?"

"The Henne Magicite Mines—maybe that's what she meant," Larsa answered. "The lie in Bancour, south of the Ozmone Plain. The entire region is a colony of the Archadian Empire. There would be soldiers."

The sky pirate smiled twistedly, his white teeth gleaming. "Is that a problem."

Vaan looked between them, then started walking onward. "Let's move."

Snow, however, had something on his mind and felt the need to figure something out. He looked up from where he stood behind Balthier and Fran. "Fran!"

She turned around, silver eyebrows raised. "Yes?"

"I was wondering—what Jote said. Something about how you said the same thing fifty years ago?"

"Your point?"

He crossed his arms, resting a finger on his chin. "How old are you, exactly?"

There was a pause of silence, and suddenly Snow wished that he hadn't said a word. Fran turned around and sauntered away, and with a heavy sigh, Balthier followed. Ashe, tutting as usual, walked away with Basch at her side. Larsa muttered under his breath, "Surprisingly rude," as he followed them, and when Penelo moved past him, she rolled her eyes.

"I'm starting to wonder how old _you_ are, Snow."

As for the man in question—his shoulders slumped as he followed the rest of the group, feeling more out of place than ever before.

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_I lol'd._


	2. Of martyrs and heroes

**Title:** _Yaag Rosch's death and meeting NORA; or rather, Of martyrs and heroes_**  
Story:** _So Starstruck_**  
Author's Note:** _Do you SEE this? If I had added this into the original story, it would have been its own chapter. Yeah. Insane, isn't it? I had fun writing this out, nonetheless. I really do miss this story..._

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_The Cocoon l'Cie brand never looked so menacing._

Balthier felt his blood turn cold at the sight of it upon the massive door, and he couldn't find the means to move from where he stood beside Lightning. She eyed his tense form, and almost looked as if she considered asking him what was wrong. However, Snow's reaction to the obstacle earned the attention of every one of them.

He slammed his fist against the door's brand, his lips formed into a firm scowl. "So close!" Snow snarled, his hands clenched tightly. Balthier walked up beside him, tentatively placing a hand upon his shoulder.

"Easy now, Ice. We'll just have to find another way around."

"There's no _time_ for that!"

Snow's fist came in contact with the door again, but that time the roaring of an engine erupted from behind the wall. The door lit up, rising above their heads, and each of them pulled out their weapons, preparing for battle. Balthier narrowed his eyes as the sunlight was revealed to them, but flying toward them were two...hoverbikes?

"Gate got ya beat? Hero?"

"Pretty _lame_."

The two bikes flew past the group, and Maqui excitedly waved at them from where he sat on one bike with Gadot. "Heya Snow! Where ya been?"

As the hoverbikes lowered to the floor, Balthier inched between Lightning and Sazh, watching with raised eyebrows. Snow walked over to his NORA gang, tentatively covering his l'Cie brand. The lanky man with blue hair, Yuj, noticed this and frowned faintly.

"So, Snow...You're a Pulse l'Cie now, huh?"

The blond sighed heavily. "Yeah. Good times."

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Yuj walked off his bike, glaring up at the other man. "Why the hell didn't you come and find us?"

Lebreau, the girl wearing less clothes than Fang, hopped to the floor and smirked. "Yeah, we've been waiting."

Maqui gave them a confident thumbs up. "Us and the rest of the Purge fugitives!"

Vanille and Balthier exchanged glances, and she started to laugh when Lightning cracked a small smile. Gadot crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. "But _damn_, those Pulse l'Cie sure know how to pick 'em."

"Yeah," Lightning agreed, walking forward. "Out of all the idiots in the world, they choose this one."

Eyes wide, Balthier looked between her and the NORA gang as everyone else laughed, save for Snow. Who knew—Lightning actually had a humorous side. A smirk formed on his lips, and he looked toward Lebreau as she, not trying to it, curiously eyed him. He winked at her once, and she blushed, turning away.

"Hey, hey, hey, now wait just a minute here!" Snow's cheeks were pink for once, and he tried to get his group to stop laughing. "_I_ am your fearless leader. You're not supposed to laugh at the boss!"

While he tried giving one of his 'hero' speeches, Balthier slowly made his way over to Lebreau, ignoring the suspicious glares from both Lightning and Fang. He took her hand, and that was when they managed to get Snow's complete attention. "A shame you and I shall not meet again after this day," Balthier told her, pretending to be disappointed. "I would have enjoyed your company."

Snow growled quietly. "Balthier..."

The girl waved her free hand at him, smirking. "Oh, be quiet, Snow. I should be mad at you for not introducing this _real_ hero to me earlier. You didn't have to keep him for yourself." She looked at Balthier, eyelashes fluttering. "The pleasure's all mine."

Balthier kissed her hand lightly, and bid her farewell. He was telling the truth, that he wouldn't have the chance to see her after the final battle against Orphan. It was painfully obvious, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. Surely he wouldn't live to tell the tale of his travels with the l'Cie, nor would he even get the chance to really explore the new world. Fran would have liked hearing about it.

As the NORA gang departed to go help civilians, Lightning waltzed over to Balthier with a frustrated look in her aqua eyes. He realized that it may not have been the best of ideas to openly flirt with Lebreau when Lightning was standing right there. She slapped him upside the head, walking off without saying a single word. Snow roared with laughter, at least until Balthier punched him in the shoulder.

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It had been a while since Balthier had been around regular humes that weren't trying to kill him and the l'Cie. True, the civilians were scurrying around the place, trying to escape the inevitable destruction of Cocoon, but it was some-what calming to be around people like him. Seeing their faces only reminded him that he had a world to save.

They continued their march to the lower section of Eden, and as they reached what looked to be a large stairwell, crystal particles started flowing to the sky from the floor at their feet. Vanille caught some in her hand and remarked on how beautiful it was, while Balthier merely collected one particle between his fingers. He could make out his reflection inside the crystal, though the moment he looked into his own eyes, the particle vanished in thin air.

"What is this stuff?" Vanille asked, turning toward her companion. Fang only shrugged, not knowing the truth herself.

Sazh shook his head. "I don't like this. Is Cocoon falling apart already?"

"Could be," Hope agreed. "Maybe Orphan's having trouble holding things together with all this fighting going on."

Balthier was just about to answer him, but the voice of Dysley boomed over their heads, chuckling darkly. "The clamor of this conflict rouses Ragnarok." The old Primarch popped into their view, blocking their path to the lower parts of the city. He held out his arms, acknowledging the area around them. "Can you halt the Calvary's charge? Filled with righteousness, they will slaughter Ragnarok in the name of freedom. Your only recourse will be to deliver them death, swift and certain."

The female soldier wouldn't listen. "No," Lightning snapped. "Unlike you, they'll listen to reason."

Dysley snickered again. "We will see about that. I shall savor the demise of Cocoon from atop the highest seat in all of Eden. You, too, should hurry along to the heart of our grand capital. Your loved ones miss you so."

Upon hearing this, Snow growled and moved to strike the old man down, but Balthier held up a hand and stopped him. The Primarch rose into the air, and before disappearing he cried out, "Come, l'Cie! Fulfill your destiny!"

They were alone again, and Hope clenched his fists. "Your destiny...We'll decide our own destiny!"

Lightning agreed with him, leading the way down the stairs. "Right. Over Barthandelus' dead body."

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The heart of Cocoon was just an open stadium, where the sky above was shining down upon those standing away from the shade. Lightning was staring at something behind the clouds, and it wasn't until Balthier touched her shoulder that she snapped out of her daze. She looked as if she had something to say to him, but didn't know exactly how. Her lips parted as if she was trying to speak, but Fang's interruption forced her to stop.

"So this is the heart of Cocoon," the dragoon murmured, walking ahead of the group. "It's incredible."

Hope directed their attention to a set of doors just on the other side of a long bridge. "That's where Eden sits, controlling all the other Cocoon fal'Cie. It's also where we'll find Orphan, the battery that keeps Eden running."

"Good to know," Snow said with a deep sigh. "So what's the plan?"

Lightning brushed past him, crossing her arms. "Your usual plan. Charge in through the front door, what else?" She started to walk away when the blond tried talking to her, and was quietly followed by a smirking Balthier. Snow scoffed, ignoring the amused giggles and chuckles coming from the Oerban partners.

However, as the group went on, a small legion of soldiers came out from the shadows and stood in their way. Lightning rolled her eyes, not affected by the multiple guns aimed at her. "Right," she groaned.

Balthier stood beside her, sighing and clearly mocking her just to lighten the mood. "Right." She glared at him, cheeks flushed.

A violet light erupted behind them, and a horned beast came charging out of the portal. It rammed most of the PSICOM soldiers, even beheading a few, and screeched until there weren't any men left. One soldier's body was tossed over the group, and Balthier evaded it by ducking down. Blood splattered onto his vest, and with a loud groan he hung his head. "Some welcoming party."

There was a brief opening in the direction they needed to go, and the sky pirate was quick to take that chance. He grabbed the hand closest to him, which happened to belong to a slightly confused Vanille, and pulled her past the beast and dead soldiers. The others followed, taking the hint, and dashed down the bridge. A PSICOM droid distracted the horned beast, giving the l'Cie and sky pirate the chance to escape.

Yet, when they reached the entrance to Orphan's Cradle, the remains of the _Proudclad_ and bodies of soldiers turned Cie'th lay before them. Balthier saw a hume hand among the wreckage, and he almost wondered if his fate would be the same. Sazh must have shared this view, because he stood beside the sky pirate and frowned.

"Looks like no one was spared," he murmured, looking all around at the destruction. Just as he spoke, however, a man stumbled out of the ship.

It was Rosch. He was coughing violently as blood dripped from his forehead and onto the bridge of his nose. Balthier moved forward, seeing that the others weren't willing to help the man.

"Rosch," Balthier stated, facing the man. "It's over."

He was ignored. "What of my soldiers?" When Balthier cast his eyes downward after looking toward the Cie'th corpses, Rosch frowned. "I see."

"Why are you doing this, Rosch?" Sazh asked, narrowing his eyes. "I mean, haven't you done enough?"

"Enough? Under fal'Cie orders, I've orchestrated mass murder." Rosch coughed again, and blood seeped from his lips. "All to answer the fears of a panicked populace. For a people utterly dependent on the fal'Cie, it was the only solution I could offer. Even if it meant that solution was a farce."

"Then you knew the fal'Cie were using us."

"I believed their rule was best for Cocoon's present and future prosperity. But it seems," Rosch chuckled, "I misjudged their benevolence. If this is my punishment, I accept it."

Fang reached for her lance, but one look from Vanille stopped her. "So, you're just gonna let everything go to hell. Is that it?"

"You're right. One thing remains." He pulled out a communicator headseat and attached it to his ear, and started to speak into it. "This is...this is PSICOM Director Rosch. Attention all PSICOM and Guardian Corps units. Suspend all l'Cie operations. I repeat, suspend l'Cie operations. All units should focus their efforts on evacuating the civilian population. I do not issue this order as an absolute. You...are free to make the choice."

Rosch collapsed, dropping the head set as more blood escaped his weak lips. Balthier ran forward, forgetting that this was the very man that nearly killed him, and helped him sit up. "Rosch!"

The man pushed Balthier's hands away. "Go. You're here to save Cocoon and your world, aren't you? Or was that a farce, as well?"

The group remained silent, but Snow started to head for Orphan's Cradle. "Stay alive," he muttered through clenched teeth. "We'll see you when its over."

The rest went after him, and though Balthier was uneasy about leaving a hume behind, he knew that there was no other choice. He stood up and walked on, closing his eyes the moment he stepped into the hall with the others. Lightning was watching him with worried eyes, and for once he didn't notice her. An explosion from above caught their attention, nearly knocking them all off their feet.

Balthier turned around, staring at the closed door. A hand rested upon his shoulder, and he allowed Snow to lead him away and further into what seemed to be the end.

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_Oy. Long deleted scenes are long..._


	3. EC: The world traveler

**Title:** _Mu and Tango Crossover; or rather, The world traveler_**  
Story:** _Time's Scar / The Hanging Man_**  
Author's Note:** _I know I said the female!Ragnarok drabble was next, but I really wanted to write this! My Brain Buddy wondered what would happen if her Balthier, from her _World Traveler _series, met my Lightning; since they're both eternal beings, you would think they would get a happy ending. As we know, Lightning is pretty much lost in her own world after losing her Balthier, but what would happen if she met someone just like him, but completely different?_

_Gah. This would make an interesting storyline/spin-off...I can't help but laugh, because this is a fan fic of another fan fic. Haha. And yes, the Bandersnatch is actually a hunt-mission-thing in Final Fantasy XIII, along with the Jabberwock. I felt the need to include that. :D_

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"_You've slowed your pace, phoenix. What is it that calls your attention?_"

Cidolfus was standing across from Lightning, eying the river blocking their path. She was resting against a lanky tree, staring off into the green distance with her usual blank, unreadable expression. Yet, when he spoke to her, her eyes flashed in his direction and then back to the trees standing over them.

"We're not in a hurry to catch up to that Hunt of yours," she answered coldly. "Is it so terrible that I want to stop for a brief rest every now and then?"

"The Bandersnatch is a beast I would like to see killed before nightfall."

"How good is the reward?"

The middle-aged knight grinned. "Not as much as the reward for your Hunt. A few thousand Gil, at the most. Come along, we shouldn't linger any longer, lest we want to be mauled by more of those bounty hunters that are after you."

Lightning begrudgingly followed him, muttering a few curse words under her breath and her boots scuffing as she walked. Trudging through the river didn't bother her as much as it normally would, and since becoming Cidolfus' apprentice she hadn't cared about anything that didn't involve improving her swordsmanship and overall fighting skill. In the thousand years she spent in exile, she had—to be quite honest—forgotten all she learned when she was a part of the Guardian Corps, as well as all those sky pirating tricks she had been taught.

Starting over wasn't as easy as she thought. The ragnarok blade wasn't her gunblade, but until she managed to repair it, she'd have to deal with Snow's old greatsword. Whenever she wielded it, it was almost as if the self-acclaimed hero was there and fighting with her. Of course, she knew that he wasn't actually there. The Dalmascan royal family name had been lost in the years after the Cataclysm.

As Lightning stepped out of the river, shaking the droplets of water from her hair, something flew overhead and crashed with a loud boom in the distance. Cidolfus looked up at the sound, unphased, though her reaction was different. Something was pulling her to the crashsite, something that she couldn't explain. Lightning, without giving her mentor a warning, took off running through the trees as smoke erupted in the distance.

She could hear a faint voice in the back of her mind, urging her forward and teasing her mind. Lightning pushed through the bushes, thorns catching her her hair and scratching her pale cheeks. The blood didn't bother her; no, not anymore. But the quiet, entrancing voice was still there. She held her breath out of habit as she reached the source of the smoke, peering through the branches and squinting.

An air ship was buried half way in the ground, and a grouping of trees had been knocked over from the crash. Lightning pursed her lips; an air ship? Impossible. Technology like that had been lost years ago! She inched closer, her curiosity getting the best of her, and slowly made her way toward the ship. The bright colors stood out against the shades of green, and whatever fire that had been started by the blast was dimmed by magick. She could feel the Mist pulsing in the wind, and she stopped her pace when a man stumbled out from the air ship's deck.

He staggered down the steps, clutching his bleeding forehead, and when he reached the ground he lost his footing. Lightning caught him in her arms, surprised at how light he was, and turned him over so she could see his face.

Her heart, if it was still beating, would have stopped.

Balthier was lying in her arms, covered with blood and barely conscious. Lightning's lips refused to form coherent words, and all she managed to whisper was his name. "Balthier?" she breathed, touching his cheek to see if he was real. His skin wasn't warm, but it wasn't cold, either. Strange, indeed.

He stirred, opening his eyes and eying her with a weak glance. Moments passed while he lay in her arms, but Balthier said nothing. This worried her, and she wondered if there was any chance that he'd forgotten her in the journey that had brought him back. What could have taken him away? Auracite—it had to be the auracite again. When he disappeared a few months after the Feolthanos incident, he must have been sent to the future. Yes, that was the only plausible explanation!

Lightning looked toward the air ship: the _Strahl_. It was puzzling; the _Strahl_ had remained in her care while Balthier was away for that short time, so how did he manage to take it with him?

While she was distracted, Balthier suddenly tried to push away from her, sitting up in her arms. "Fran," he coughed. "I need to—find her..."

"Balthier, sit still!" Lightning ordered, grabbing his arm and holding him back. He immediately grew tense at her cold and rigid touch, as if something surprised him. "Just stay put, _please_. Let me heal you, okay?"

He stopped, staring at the hand clenched around his arm. "You," his said softly, "know me?"

"Know you? Of course I know who you are, Balthier. It's me—Lightning." She kept a firm grip on him when he inched away from her. "Sure, I look slightly different than before, being blonde and slightly paler, but I'm still me."

"I can't recall ever knowing someone with that name," Balthier drawled, pushing himself out of her arms as he stood.

"You..." Lightning stood as well, looking him over. His wounds had already healed themselves without the use of normal magick. But, how? "You must have hit your head in the crash, Balthier. I don't see how—"

"Listen here, Thunder. Do not think you can fool me with your silver-lined words. A trick to finally end me, is that it? You're the only fool here, girl." He disappeared behind the door, rummaging through debris and dust.

Lightning followed him, biting her lower lip as she watched him search through every corner of the _Strahl_. He constantly called out Fran's name, only a small hint of worry entwined with his words, and when he seemed to realize that Fran wasn't there, he faced Lightning, who had returned to outside the ship, and scowled.

"Where is she?" he asked—more like demanded.

The apprentice-knight frowned. "Balthier, Fran's been dead for years," she told him. "Everyone's gone. Even—even you."

"No, that's impossible." Balthier looked to be holding back laughter. "If there was any chance of Fran dying, though unlikely, I would be dead on the spot. Seeing as how I'm still here, she's still alive as well. You're talking madness, Thunder."

"It's...It's Lightning."

The sky pirate paused, narrowing his eyes at her. "Well, then, _Lightning_. I know this is Ivalice; I'd recognize the smell anywhere. But there's something different. What year is this, pray tell, and where in Ivalice are we standing?"

At first Lightning was unable to speak. Her mind was attempting to find an easy way to tell him that more than ten centuries had passed since his death, though she'd already told him of his demise. What he didn't seem to understand was that he wasn't meant to be there.

"It's the year two-thousand according to the Old Valendian calender." Lightning pursed her lips, looking downward. "And, we're standing in what remains of your old home, Balthier. This...This is Archadia."

Cidolfus came muttering out of the woods, cursing about wasting time and Gil until he spotted his apprentice-knight standing with an odd man. When he lay eyes on the air ship, he let out a hearty laugh. Lightning turned, glaring at her mentor.

"How peculiar!" the middle-aged knight exclaimed, approaching the _Strahl_. "I did not think to see such a specimen in my time. How peculiar, indeed..."

"Cid," Lightning growled. "Now's not the time."

"You've already wasted enough time today, my phoenix. Allow me to waste whatever time you planned on using."

When she turned around to face Balthier, he wasn't anywhere in her line of sight. That is, until she looked toward the ground. Balthier was lying unconscious in the grass, most likely overwhelmed by where they were or just merely tired out from his journey through time. Lightning bent down, resting a hand on his shoulder. However, a glint of gold caught her eye from underneath his blouse. She moved the cloth and gasped at what she saw: a small amulet or medallion embedded in his skin.

Her first thought was auracite, of course, but the medallion definitely wasn't a crystal or stone. Lightning looked toward Balthier's face, still young and vibrant. "Cid," she called out. "Do you think you can go on with that Hunt without me?"

He stared at her. "And leave an old man to face the Bandersnatch alone?" he gasped. "How would wound me, my phoenix! You know that without you, that beast could kill me. No, we'll continue with the Hunt tomorrow."

"The air ship's crash probably attracted all sorts of bounty hunters. There aren't any men of the Order or Church around these parts, but I don't want anyone coming here." Lightning lifted Balthier's inert form over her shoulder, still wondering how he was so light. "At least get rid of any men that come this way, all right?"

"Bah. You're the one meant to be doing all the work as the apprentice. But, seeing as how you know more than I do, I'll dispatch any fiends I come across."

Cidolfus disappeared in the trees, and Lightning carried Balthier back onto the _Strahl_. The lay out was slightly different than she remembered, but it had been centuries since she'd seen it. She set Balthier down on what looked to be his bed and looked around for something that might wake him up. She had so many questions for him, all surrounding the topic of that medallion.

But something about him...didn't seem right. He didn't remember her and claimed that his life was tied to Fran's in some way. And he wasn't as warm as she remembered. In fact, it felt as if his skin was as cold as hers! Lightning turned around, studying him with an tight glare.

"If you're going to stare at me, at least give an old man some warning," he groaned, pushing himself up from the bed. "In fact, do that if you're going to spring more news upon me."

Lightning nodded, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed at her chest. She didn't meet his eyes, afraid that she'd find something she didn't want to see.

"Old man?" she asked in a low voice.

"Believe it or not, girl, I'm older than I look. You can thank our dearest gods for that."

"So how old are you, then?"

A smirk twisted his lips. "Three-hundred-forty-seven years, and still counting."

She knew that he was trying to scare her off, but all attempts were of no use. Although, the uncharacteristic look of him would have frightened her if she hadn't taught herself to avoid all emotions. That smirk was nothing like the one she had learned to enjoy years ago on Cocoon, and even when Ragnarok was around, the smirk was different. Balthier, now, was giving her a look that almost made her think he was going to tear her to pieces.

"That medallion in your chest," she quietly said. "That's what keeps you alive, right?"

"You're brighter than I expected. Mostly, yes, this little trinket keeps my life from ending. But it's Fran who holds me in place. Without her, I would be nothing more than a decaying corpse in the ground."

"Most viera died before reaching that age, so how can she still be alive?"

Balthier stretched his arms. "As I said, the gods have decided to watch over myself and Fran. Or rather, we stole what makes them immortal and used their power on ourselves." He yawned fakely, turning his eyes toward the floor. "Well, not truly immortal. We appear young, and as long as Fran doesn't die, eternity is ours."

"Eternity isn't meant to belong to humans," Lightning interjected.

"What makes you think I'm human?"

She scowled and folded her arms across her chest, refusing to answer him. Balthier sat up from the bed, looking at her and waited for her to say something. Lightning still didn't want to meet his eyes, and instead looked down at her feet.

"You know me," Balthier repeated, "or at least someone like me. Unfortunately for you, I haven't met anyone with your name or face. Though, I've met a few women that could rival that glare of yours."

"Ashe?"

"The Princess? Yes, she's one of them." He tapped a finger to his chin, thinking to himself. Upon realizing something, he smirked once more. "If you knew myself, the Princess and Fran, and this is more than a thousand years after our 'deaths'...Then you're more than you appear to be, too, it seems."

One of her eyebrows arched. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I should have realized it sooner; you have the scent of the gods upon you. How did you happen to acquire immortality? You're not the thieving type, though you're not exactly innocent either."

Lightning fidgeting with the hilt of the ragnarok blade. Words seemed to just slip from her lips. "I was killed when I was only twenty-three by a god called Lindzei. You—I mean, the Balthier I knew made a deal with the goddess Etro and brought me back to life. Only..."

"He died not long after?"

"Twenty-five years after that, yeah."

He rested his elbow on one of his knees, leaning into his palm. "And that would make you an undead, I suppose. You and I aren't so different, after all, Lightning."

She closed her eyes, sighing gently. "Call me Light."

Even though she couldn't see his face, she knew that he was smirking again.

**

* * *

**

As the days passed, and as she found herself spending more and more time with Balthier while he repaired the _Strahl_, Lightning couldn't help but feel as if meeting him was fate. She ignored her mentor each time he tried to coax her into going after that Hunt, and every time she would simply say that she wanted to make sure Balthier was all right. Unlike Cidolfus, Balthier understood what it was like to be an undead being among the living.

He told her of his travels over the years, of places that Lightning didn't think could exist. A world called Earth, where pirates once ran free and humans fought against insane-robots; both in different time periods, of course. He spoke of another world, some place called Underland—or did he say Wonderland?—where animals could talk and young women killed dragons. Balthier mentioned that Lightning and her curiosity reminded him of a girl he knew by the name of Alice, but he wouldn't tell her anything else.

When she asked what Fran meant to him, she received an answer she didn't want to hear.

"Everything."

He was Balthier, no doubt, but he wasn't _her_ Balthier. The revelation pained her greatly, and she knew that soon she would have to let him go. Yet that didn't stop her from wondering about the possibility of him staying. They were both immortal, figuratively speaking, and could stay together until the end of Time itself. But, something was missing for both of them. Balthier needed Fran more than anything, and Lightning needed...Well, she just wanted Death to come and take her away. He wanted to live forever with his partner and she wanted to die.

"You're awfully quiet today," Balthier said, peering out from underneath the engine. "Something on your mind?"

Lightning shook her head. "No, not really," she murmured. "Cid's just getting impatient about his Hunt, that's all."

"And why don't you go and join him?"

"I'm watching over you."

Balthier laughed quietly. "Afraid I might leave without saying good-bye, are you? If I promise to stay here a while longer, would you go help your man and stop his complaining?"

"...I don't think you're the type to keep promises."

"That I am. But, perhaps just this once, I might change." He waved a hand to her. "Now, go. Wouldn't want him to think you're infatuated with me, now, do we?"

Lightning avoided his eyes at that point, and when Balthier looked at her, there was a sudden crash outside the air ship, followed by a series of yells from Cidolfus. She quickly grabbed her sword and ran outside, skidding across the grass when she saw a giant tiger-like fiend preparing to strike down Cidolfus. Balthier had followed her, though when he saw the Bandersnatch, his reaction was just the opposite.

"I can't seem to escape the past," he whispered, a hand hesitantly reaching for his fomalhaut. "Or it can't stop chasing me."

"Just follow my lead," she called out to him, running forward.

She joined Cidolfus against the Bandersnatch, tossing him a potion vial when she stood beside him. He took it, chuckling, and motioned for her to continue. Lightning duck down as one of the claws came toward her, latching onto its leg and proceeding to climb up onto its back. The creature twisted beneath her, whipping its tail around in hopes of knocking her over. Lightning held up her ragnarok blade, preparing to pierce its skin, but suddenly it turned its attention to the sky pirate.

Balthier seemed to expect what came next and easily dodged the Bandersnatch's claws out of habit. Despite his calm demeanor, Lightning saw the sudden fear in his eyes. She thrusted the ragnarok blade into the Bandersnatch's neck, and it collapsed not a moment later. She jumped down from its back, sighing heavily.

"Happy now, Cid?" she asked, turning toward her mentor. "The thing's dead. That reward better be a good one."

"Oh, to be sure," he chimed, examining the corpse. "Ah, look there. The beastie has some sort of crystal lodged in its mouth. Would you mind getting it, my phoenix?"

Lightning got on her knees, scowling at Cidolfus as she reached inside the Bandersnatch's mouth. She held the crystal tightly as she pulled it out, and after shaking the remnants of saliva off, held it out for the two men to see. It was a bright orange crystal, glimmering even in the murky weather. Cidolfus whistled.

"That's some treasure," he said.

"I would know that Stone anywhere," Balthier mused, standing at Lightning's other side. "It's a Teleport Stone, used to send humes around Ivalice back in the day. What was that fiend doing with it, I wonder..."

"The Bandersnatch used to live on Gran Pulse," Lightning answered, curiously looking at the stone. "And you mentioned one in that other world, didn't you, Balthier? Underland?"

He nodded. "This Ivalice has, or _had_, one as well. It wouldn't surprise me if my Ivalice had its own...Bandersnatch." He shuddered upon saying the name.

Lightning paused for a moment, looking between him and the stone. After a while, she forced it into his hands and avoided his surprised expression.

"Take it," she quickly said. "If you put it in your ship, you'll be able to go back to your Ivalice. Fran's waiting for you there, I'm sure."

Balthier eyed the stone and almost smiled. "Yes, you're right. Not looking forward to seeing her reaction after leaving her again for the thousandth time, but t'is better than leaving her forever."

**

* * *

**

The _Strahl_ hummed with life after Balthier set up the Teleport stone inside its glossair rings. Lightning felt an empty but longing feeling as she watched it begin to light up, and she kept her gaze downward when Balthier walked up to her, smirking.

"Some thanks are in order," he announced. "If you hadn't found me, I would be in a much more...well, a not very good state. As worse as we undead can get."

"In some cases, that means there's nothing wrong," she answered with the quirk of a smile. "But, you're welcome. I hope Fran goes easy on you for disappearing again."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, well, I'm sure it'll happen again. Always does."

Lightning stared at the _Strahl_ for another moment until she felt Balthier's hand take her own. His skin was just as cold as hers, yet it felt completely normal to them both. He gave her a small half-smile and a nod, pressing his lips to her fingertips.

"As Fran would say, the gods are smiling at us right now. They must have willed me to you."

She rolled her eyes, drawing her hand away. "You should save the sweet-talk for her, not me."

Another moment of silence passed before Balthier turned away and stood at the top of the stairs leading inside the ship. The engines continued to hum, and he rested his hand upon the door frame as he looked back at her. Lightning met his eyes for the first time.

"You know, you could come with me," he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "You'd make a good sky pirate."

She forced a smile. "I'm all right here. Cid wouldn't be happy if his apprentice ran off with a pirate."

Balthier's eyes drifted to the side. "Yes, that seems likely. Well...I hope you find the Balthier you're looking for, Light. But, if the Fates will it, you and I may stumble upon each other again."

As the _Strahl_ flew into the sky and disappeared within a green flash, Lightning couldn't help but regretfully wonder the same thing.

**

* * *

**

_I had so many ideas for this...I only touched upon Balthier's side of the story, since that's more of Mu's story to tell. xD But, I found myself wishing these two would stay with each other. Gah. This is my favorite drabble thus far!_


	4. The leading man's will

**Title:** _Bromantic Writing of a Will; or rather, The leading man's will_**  
Story:** _Time's Scar_**  
Author's Note:** _I finished my homework for this weekend, and even though I'm not ready to update _Time's Scar_, I wanted to write something to cure my boredom. You will recognize this part from chapter 13 of _TS_, where Lightning was given Balthier's will. As you could see, there was something going on behind the scenes as he wrote it, and here it is. The only two characters in this are Balthier and Snow, though the others are mentioned. Gods. I love the bromance._

**

* * *

**

_Never in his life had Balthier faced something so terrifying._

When Snow tossed the unopened journal in his lap, the aging sky pirate was unable to come up with one of his usual witty and sarcastic remarks. He found it hard to do that anyway, these days. Snow, leaning against the door frame and watching Balthier's confused expression, frowned gently and sighed.

"You've gotta do it someday, Balthier," he said quietly. "You've only got twenty more years until...Well, until _you-know-what_ happens."

Balthier, lip quirked upward, pushed the journal away with one finger. "Look, Ice, twenty years is a long time. I'm only thirty, remember? Etro won't take my mortality until twenty-five years after the deal was made."

"Do I care?" A pause. "Yes, of course I do, but that's not the point I'm trying to make here. I don't trust the gods, even if they brought Lightning back to life. Etro's just as bad as the fal'Cie—she's the one who damned Ragnarok to his miserable life, which made him that psychotic, angry beast that nearly killed us."

"And, what exactly are you saying?"

"We don't know if Etro is gonna stay true to her word. She could kill you at any given moment and I wouldn't be able to stop her. I don't...I don't want to have to see you die, Balthier. Not again."

The sky pirate, drumming his fingers atop the desk, turned his tired eyes toward the window looking over Rabanastre. Fran and Lightning were off taking care of a Hunt (some beast called the Shadowseer), and didn't want him to go along, knowing that he'd somehow get into trouble. Snow volunteered to watch over him at the palace while Ashe was away on political business, and despite Balthier's complaints, Lightning insisted that it was the best thing to do. The self-acclaimed hero, of course, took advantage of being alone with Balthier.

"This situation is the is exactly why I didn't want to tell you about my soon-to-be death." Balthier crossed his arms. "I knew you would react like this..."

"It's not everyday you learn that your best friend is going to die before he reaches fifty."

"Yes, but why give me an entire journal to write this...will? I'll only use but a single page."

The Dalmascan lord's cheeks were tinted pink. "I thought that, maybe, you could use it as an actual journal, you know? Write about all your sky pirating adventures so you're not forgotten in the years to come."

Balthier forced a smile just so Snow wouldn't know that, in the future, the Bunansas would be nothing more than engineers in a small town, barely earning enough money to survive. At least the Villiers and B'nargin dynasty wouldn't end in the same way; unless he was mistaken, there would be a young knight that would take after Snow and inherit the ragnarok blade. And, as always, there would be a Princess much like Ashe.

"No doubt this journal will be one of Lightning's few sources of happiness after I'm gone," Balthier mused, opening the journal. The pages were blank, and the scent of untainted words came over his senses. "Remind me, again. What exactly am I to write in this?"

"It's your Last Will and Testament. You write down all the things you wanna leave to people. At least, that's what Ashe told me. I've already written mine."

"And here I was hoping I could pester you about writing it..."

Snow grinned. "I'm sure you'll find other things to bother me about."

Balthier tapped the quill in the ink bottle before turning toward the journal again. Snow was standing beside him, looking over his shoulder as if to make sure he was doing exactly as told. The sky pirate, scowling, began to write.

_'I intended for this to be my "Last Will and Testament", or so Ice calls it, but it's not my time to part just yet. It's the year seven-hundred-eleven in our Valendian calendar, and I am now thirty years old.'_

He stopped, looking at himself in the mirror above the desk. Balthier frowned upon not noticing much change. Apart from a grayish tint in his eyes, there was nothing different from when he was only twenty-two, when he first got himself tangled with the gods. Snow didn't look much older, either, but there was wisdom and maturity behind his still-young eyes. Balthier was slightly jealous at that.

He continued to write. _'No_—young_. I'm not old just yet. Fran says I'm not allowed to become like my father until I am actually the same age as he was. A shame that day will never come.'_

"Sheesh," Snow glowered. "Don't be so dramatic and depressing, Balthier. Sure, you're talking about your death and all, but be more...I don't know, happy?"

"Silence yourself, Ice."

_'Upon learning of my sooner-than-later demise, Ice refuses to stop his pestering and demands that I write this before my time is up. The man is right, and unfortunately, I don't credit him enough for that.'_

Snow was grinning.

_'I suppose that's why I'm leaving him any Gil I've managed to save in his name, though considering that he's now the Lord of Dalmasca, he won't need it. I don't dare leave him the _Strahl—_he would end up destroying my poor girl, no doubt. Furthermore, Ice, you are not allowed to set one foot near her. You're much to clumsy these days.'_

At this, Balthier turned around and gave the Dalmascan lord a charming smile. "There, does that suffice for you? All the Gil I own and a restraining order from the _Strahl_. Much better than you thought you'd inherit, eh?"

"You could have at least given me ownership of your old home. That's what Ashe wants you to do, anyway."

"Only Archadian blood will own that place, Ice. And you are far from Archadian. We wouldn't wear such an...atrocious looking trench coat."

"That hurt my dignity, Balthier."

"Didn't know you had any."

_'The _Strahl_, as much as it pains me to admit this, will be placed in Vaan's care. I know that he will continue his sky pirating life even when he's an old bastard, terrorizing the skies that were once mine and claiming that he's the leading man. I suppose that means I surrender that title to him as well, in this will. Well, of course not. The leading man always has a leading lady, and Vaan will not have mine.'_

Balthier smiled for a moment. Even though Lightning wouldn't admit it until much later in her life, he knew that she (as Penelo always put it) loved him. It was an peculiar feeling, knowing that someday, Lightning would be forced to walk the world with just the memory of her past. He could only look forward (or was it backward?) to when he would surprise her in the city of Dorter, rescuing her and Snow's heir from headhunters.

That look she would give him, seeing him for the first time in over one-thousand years, told him exactly how she felt.

_'Upon the time of Vaan's death, the _Strahl_ will return to Fran.'_

"You know, Fran isn't immortal like Light is," Snow interrupted, placing a hand on Balthier's already tense shoulder. "She'll live longer than both of us, but definitely not for eternity."

The sky pirate only rolled his eyes.

_'And, after, you wonder? I know by that time, air ships will no longer be of use. My girl will, sadly, be put to rest during this time.'_

"Wait...Balthier, how do you know that?"

"All in good time, Ice."

_'As for Draklor Laboratory and the Bunansa estate...I'd prefer to leave them be. However, according to our dearest Queen, either I must declare an heir or leave the property in her name. She has expressed distaste in this manner, and so I am forced to leave these damned places to whomever arises later on as my heir. The Bunansa name won't end, at least from what I've witnessed. Sadly, we Bunansas will be reduced to what dear old Cid would have called peasants.'_

Snow continued to ask questions, but just like the many times before, he was ignored.

_'I believe there is nothing left for me to pass on...'_

"I think you're leaving something out, Balthier. What about Lightning?"

Balthier paused, closing his eyes. He remembered the stone—Ultima's stone. The teardrop crystal that Serah had given to Snow upon her crystallization, the stone that separated Ragnarok from Balthier, and the stone that was replaced in the Glabados Ruins, found by Mydia, and given to Penelo. Ultima's soul was within it the entire time.

"Ice. Do you still have that, ah, crystal that belonged to Serah?" Balthier asked.

Snow pulled out the teardrop crystal from his pocket. "Yeah, it's right here. What about it?"

"I'm giving it to Lightning. You said that Serah is long gone and that you're ready to move on. Why not let go of that crystal?"

"I...I guess you're right."

Reluctantly, he handed the crystal to Balthier, who grimaced when he felt the Mist touch his skin. It was unnerving to know that deep within that crystal lie Ultima, the one that forced him to return to his time when he wanted to remain at Lightning's side. He trembled, still wondering what would happen to her and the others.

_'To my dearest leading lady, I bestow to you the crystal that once belonged to your sister. I once told you that this particular Stone held no value now that she is gone, but I was wrong. And for that, I must apologize. This Stone is more than we believed. I can only hope that you will find the means to destroy it before it is too late. Signed, Ffamran mied Bunansa'_

"There," Balthier said with a sigh. "It's done. My will, all written out and ready to be put into motion."

Snow smiled faintly, wrapping a reassuring arm around Balthier's shoulders. "You said so yourself: twenty years is a long time."

"Yes, but I can't help but wonder if the end of my mortality will come before that."

Balthier stood up from his chair and left without another word. Snow, on the other hand, looked at the journal laying on the wooden desk and frowned. After checking to see if the sky pirate had left for the time being, he picked up the quill and wrote at the bottom of the page:

_'Dammit, Balthier, for _once—_call me by my real name. This is supposed to be official! I don't think "Ice" will suffice in the Court.'_


	5. EC: An unexpected reunion

**Title:** _Mu and Tango Strike Back; or rather, An unexpected reunion_**  
Story:** _Starstruck series / The World Traveler_**  
Author's Note:** _Oh yes, we're at it again! Undead!Balthier and Eternal!Lightning are such an interesting pair. As you probably expect, this is a sequel to the third drabble in this series, _'The world traveler'_. This time, Fran and Mustadio are thrown into the mix, as well as another beastly fight. I love crossovers between other crossovers. Yes, that makes my brain hurt! My thanks goes to my wonderful Brain Buddy, __**The Giant Daifuku**__, for being awesome and writing Balthier's side of this story both this story and the part before it. Go read her stories, now! I command it!_

_As expected, however, this is when these crossovers stray from my intended story ending. So, what you see here isn't necessarily what happens at the end of _Time's Scar_. But you never know. I'm keeping the ending a surprise until, well, until it's finally posted on the last weekend of February. :)_

**

* * *

**

_The sky, no matter what condition, always becalmed her mind._

Lightning lay on her back, arms folded behind her head and legs crossed at the ankles. The sun's weak rays danced along her pale skin, and though she normally wouldn't stay outside in the summertime for too long, today all she wanted was to spend her time relaxing and reminiscing about days past.

_"I can't help but feel as if this is the last time I'll see you. Sometime after you see something...frightful, you'll return to your time and continue on until your death. Now we're going to the final battle, and I can't shake this bad feeling."_

_"Why worry, then? You've said so yourself, eternity doesn't last forever."_

_"That doesn't mean I'll join you in the skies when all of this is done."_

_"True, but perhaps this is for the best. After all, you're not alone anymore. Your machinist will, no doubt, stay by your side until the end of his days."_

_"And what then?"_

_"You'll find your way back to me, of course. A leading man is nothing without his leading lady."_

And so there she was, waiting for the chance to find her way back to Balthier. _Her_ Balthier. It had been only a year since his departure and the end of Ultima's reign over Ivalice and its gods. The Zodiac stones were destroyed, and though it pained her to remember, Ashe's life ended as well. Without the stones her life was connected to, she passed on. It was almost refreshing, though, to see her walk into the light with her hand entwined with that of her King. Snow seemed happy, too, that he could finally leave the world of the living. However...

Balthier was not among those retreating into the light. All of her old allies were there, including the more meager ones like Maqui and Llyud. But, the one she wanted to see pass on wasn't there. She couldn't do much but wonder if there was something more, something she missed when he died. Was Etro just as cruel as the fal'Cie and Occuria? Or, perhaps it was as she suspected all along: Balthier had already passed on and was merely waiting for her to join him.

At least Serah, whose very own soul had been twisted into something far more fearsome, was at peace. Her dearest, innocent loving sister was the monster that killed so many. _Ultima_. How could someone so pure and naive become a terrible monster so intent on killing?

"Light, there you are!"

Mustadio climbed up the ladder and joined her on the roof of his home, grinning all the while. He plopped down beside her, laying down in a similar manner.

"Do you remember what today is?" he asked, looking at her with bright eyes.

"The mark of another year in my endless life?" Lightning almost tiredly answered with her own question. "I know what day it is. It wouldn't be fair of me to forget the day Balthier died." Mustadio wouldn't stop grinning, prompting her to ask, "Why are you smiling, Mustadio?"

"Father has a surprise for you in the shop. You know that machine he's been working on since Ultima's defeat?" His grin grew wide. "It's finally finished, so he says. With it, we can travel through time and visit your past!"

Lightning sat up, staring incredulously at the young machinist. "My past? My past, being the time with—"

"Balthier and all the others, yes." He nudged her in the side with his elbow. "Come on, Light, wouldn't it be great? Imagine what it would be like to see all your friends again. Balthier, Ashe, Snow...All of them."

"I wouldn't want to come back, that's the thing. And I'd just be reliving the same events all over again. I...I don't think I can handle it, Mustadio."

The boy pouted, facing her with a disgruntled look on his young face. "Who said anything about letting the past stay the same?"

"_I_ did. Altering the past could do something bad to time as it is now, like allowing Ultima to reign over Ivalice or for you to not even exist. If I were to find some way to make myself mortal, or to make Balthier immortal, that would completely change everything you and I know."

Unfortunately for Lightning, Mustadio wouldn't heed her words and enthusiastically led her down into his father's workshop. Besrudio, grinning a lot like Cidolfus did whenever he was on a Hunt, stood beside his large desk where a small device lay. It didn't look like much, though the glittering of auracite mixed within its mechanisms told otherwise. Close by, a clumsily placed together machine stood. Lightning's eyes dashed between the device, the much larger machine in the middle of the room and Mustadio's excited expression.

"That's it?" she asked in a suspicious tone.

"Just hear us out, Light," Mustadio urged, stepping toward the desk and grasping the device. "It's been, well, a long time since you've been truly happy, hasn't it? Just this once, let me make you happy. Father says that we can come back to this time whenever we want, so it isn't like we will be in the past forever."

"Just be mindful," Besrudio reminded his son, "that the auracite's power is not as strong as it was a year ago. Without the Zodiac Stones in this world, the remaining auracite is slowly losing its worth."

Lightning rested two fingers on her forehead, ignoring the coming headache. "I don't want to change the past, but I don't want to face it, either."

"Don't you want to see them again?" Mustadio fiddled with the device's controls. "You've told me everything about Ivalice's past, but I won't understand it unless I see it for myself. I want to meet the people that made you happy, Light."

"You're just curious about the air ships, aren't you?"

"That is only a very _small_ part."

She sighed, looking at Besrudio for any type of support. When she found none, her eyes flickered toward the worn out journal sitting in a glass cabinet. Balthier told her many stories about the parts of his life she knew nothing about, and ever since receiving that journal she wondered what it would be like to see those days at least once. She'd be able to join him and Snow on all those Hunts they would go on, as well as the sky pirating adventures Vaan and Penelo told her about before they retired.

It was a second chance for her to be with Balthier. This time, the gods wouldn't stop her.

"All right," Lightning said, finally, "I'm in."

**

* * *

**

For a while, just standing there and watching Besrudio preach to his son about staying safe, Lightning couldn't stop herself from wondering what it would have been like to see Balthier doing the very same. True, he wasn't the father type, but that didn't mean she couldn't think about it. She didn't understand it at first, but by becoming an Eternal, she lost the chance to have a family of her own. All her life she had been dedicated to being a soldier, and it wasn't until she met Balthier that she escaped that life. At a cost, of course.

Still, what would have happened if she hadn't become immortal? Balthier asked her countless times to marry him, so did that mean he had been ready to retire his sky pirating ways and live a normal life until his death?

"Remember to press this button should you wish to return," Besrudio informed Mustadio, who obediently nodded with a smile. "And be sure to not lose yourself with all those air ships flying around. Lightning shouldn't have to keep an eye on you."

Mustadio's cheeks flushed. "Yes, father."

"I'm sure he can handle himself," Lightning added in, slipping her trench coat over her shoulders. "And besides, he might be the one to pull me away from the past."

As soon as Mustadio finished gathering up the few supplies they needed, Lightning reached over to the desk and grabbed the teleport device in an almost impatient motion. When her fingertips traced the metallic material, however, a burst of light erupted from the larger machine and enveloped both her and Mustadio. She felt him cling to her, and just as she shut her eyes, the device's screen cracked and shattered in her hand.

**

* * *

**

The next thing she knew, she was laying in a pile of powdery snow beneath the gray skies of Ivalice. Spitting out ice particles, Lightning shook the dust from her hair and instantly looked to the stunned expression of Mustadio laying beside her. His lips were parted slightly, but he was smiling nonetheless.

"That...was quite a trip," he breathed, on the verge of laughter. "I feel like my insides have been thoroughly twisted, though..."

"Give yourself a few minutes and you'll feel better," Lightning urged, eying the area. She didn't recognize the town, wherever they were, but perhaps that was only because she avoided towns during her isolation and didn't remember the Old Ivalice ones. "You're going to have to get used to time travel when we plan on going back home, so...Well, that's just perfect."

The teleport device was scattered around her feet in bits and pieces, and the auracite was completely shattered. Cursing quietly, she gathered up the pieces and stuffed them into her pack before looking back at Mustadio.

"It might be a while before we can go back," she said mournfully. "The device is broken, though I can't figure out why."

"Maybe..." Mustadio scooted over to her, rubbing his hands together to warm them up. "Maybe it was the auracite around your neck. What if that got in the way of the less-reactive kind?"

She wrapped the necklace's chain around her finger, firmly pursing her lips. "Well, that wouldn't surprise me. Auracite has done nothing but mess with my life. I guess that means the real question is...Where _are_ we?"

The town they were in reminded Lightning of Goug, prompting her to wonder whether they had traveled through time. Mustadio was quick to remind her that back in their time it was still spring time, and in that world (whatever one it was) it was winter time. The gentle caress of the icy wind at her cheek only reminded her that it had been winter when Balthier died years ago. When she asked one of the townspeople what day it was, Lightning wasn't too surprised to learn that it was the very same day of his death. Only it was the year one-thousand-eighty-one...which meant it was three-hundred-fifty years past the time period she actually wanted to travel to.

Some of the people they passed by on their walk through the city were ogling at Mustadio, for some reason, and occasionally one would stop the pair and ask if they were lost. Lightning didn't like the way some of the townspeople looked as if they wanted to tear the young machinist to pieces, and eventually settled on stealing a cloak from a local shop. He, though confused about their situation, pulled it on and covered his face with the hood.

It was about mid-day when an old woman approached them, grasping the front of Lightning's trench coat with trembling hands. Her toothy grin and foul breath made the female-knight turn her head away in disgust.

"'ave you 'eard, dearie?" the woman crooned. "They say 'e's been caught! Ye will come to 'is 'anging, won't ye?"

"Hanging?" Lightning hesitantly asked. "Whose hanging, exactly?"

"The bounty 'unter! They call 'im Balthier—finest 'unter in all o' Ivalice!"

Mustadio thanked the woman for telling them thus, for Lightning couldn't find the means to speak. They followed the old crone to the town square, where a gallows had been placed in the very center. The executioner was standing beside a fairly noble looking man with a scroll in hand, and casually standing beneath the with a slightly bored look on his face was Balthier. Lightning peered out from underneath the awning, squinting to get a better look.

No—he wasn't her Balthier. It was the one that crash landed in New Ivalice a few years before, the Balthier who was just like her: an undead.

"Balthier Bunansa," the noble man spoke in a curt voice, "you are held responsible today for the wanton slaying of numerous humes in Ivalice and the theft of the belongings of several persons of importance. Despite your acts as a bounty hunter working to rid Ivalice of men who are a danger to us, you have committed many heinous acts, including counterfeiting and posing as men of the law, in the name of your work."

Balthier muttered something, causing the man to pause in his reading and jump out of surprise. Lightning caught the smirk forming on the sky pirate's (bounty hunter?) lips, and her already nonexistent breath ceased to exist. She didn't think she would ever see him again...

"The penalty for all is death; on this day, one-thousand-eighty-one, Old Valendian, you are to hang from the neck until dead." The noble man rolled up the scroll and faced the executioner, who reminded Lightning of a more rogue-ish and cruel Snow. "Please, do the honors, Master Carrow."

Mustadio tugged at Lightning's sleeve as the rope was tied around Balthier's neck. "Light, you have to do something!" he begged. "Balthier's going to die if we don't save him!"

She only moved into the shadows when Balthier's silver-glinted eyes turned toward her, searching for a familiar face in the crowd. Mustadio continued trying to convince her to move and help the man, but for some reason, she was intrigued by the thought of watching an undead die. She'd never watched herself die, obviously, and she had always wondered what it looked like. Then again, she wasn't ready to watch someone who resembled the man she loved die.

But she kept her feet firmly planted in the slush of the road, watching as Balthier limply dangled from the gallows, smiling even in death. The crowd cleared the town square as soon as the men pulled Balthier's inert form down and carried him off, and Mustadio looked as it he were holding back tears. Lightning flinched at this, but grasped his hand tightly in her own.

"Mustadio, that wasn't—_isn't_ the Balthier we knew," she hissed to him, dragging him away from the ogling townspeople. "When I first started my apprenticeship with Cidolfus, I met a man who looked exactly like Balthier. The man we just saw die was the very same, only he's much different than my Balthier. This one...This one is a lot like me."

The machinist stared at her with big eyes. "An Eternal?"

"Something like that, he didn't go into the major details when we met."

"How do you know that he's the, er, undead Balthier?"

Lightning's eyes darted back to the empty gallows. "Because no sane man would die smiling."

**

* * *

**

They stalked the men who took Balthier's body away and buried it to the prison burial site, though Lightning seemed a bit hesitant to confront the man she was, once, terribly afraid of. She wondered how many times he had risen from the grave like this, for she herself had never done so. How many times had he allowed himself to die? Grimacing, she turned his thoughts elsewhere.

His grave was not as elegant as the one belonging to her Balthier, though, that one wasn't much of anything either. This one was a mere wooden board with his name etched into it in a poor attempt in cursive. Lightning reached into her pocket and pulled out the rose she'd bought (or rather, stolen) from one of the shops in town. She let it flutter from her hand and onto the snow at their feet.

"So," Mustadio said, breaking the silence, "if he's an undead, like you, does that mean he is going to rise from the grave like a zombie?"

She laughed quietly. "No, we'll be digging him out before he even has a chance to do that."

On cue, a woman with a shovel approached the grave, not noticing the two already waiting there until she stood a few feet away. Lightning nearly gasped when she saw Fran staring back at them. "Fran?" she asked, and the viera only flicked her tall ear once in reply. Fran studied her carefully before speaking.

"You are the woman called Lightning," she said.

"I thought you were dead, since Balthier hasn't risen just yet." She glanced to the grave again, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly. "He mentioned your lives were tied together. But it's good to see you again."

Fran didn't seem to even blink at Lightning's small, confused mistake. "I am not the Fran you know. However, Balthier must have trusted you very much if he parted with that information." For a while, as she dug into the grave, the three of them said absolutely nothing, and the only thing they could hear apart from the shovel clashing with the ground was the whispering wind. Eventually, Fran spoke up once more. "You have yet to introduce your companion."

Mustadio awaited a nod from the female-knight before lowering his hood. "This is Mustadio," Lightning spoke softly. "Mustadio Bunansa." It wasn't difficult to see the way Fran stopped digging to observe the young man, though her crimson eyes lingered upon his face before turning back to Lightning.

"Related to the Balthier in your Ivalice, I presume?" she asked.

"From what I can tell, yes. Mustadio's not related to me in any way, though, since I'm already, well, _dead_. Balthier just...I allowed him to be unfaithful. It was a mutual decision."

Fran only hummed in response, continuing her task of digging her partner out of the dirt. After a while, she appeared to be getting tired, and so Lightning took the shovel from her and continued on. Mustadio couldn't take his eyes off of Fran's ears, however.

"Mustadio, stop staring," Lightning said in a stern voice. "You've seen Mydia before. Fran's no different than her."

"Mydia has shorter ears, though!" Mustadio bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry. There aren't many viera where I come from, that is all..."

"That is what Balthier asked Vaan, eons ago," Fran purred with a thin smile.

When her shovel touched the lid of the coffin, Lightning paused and peered at the wood as if she was waiting for something. A hand tore through the wooden lid and reached for the air, nearly startling her if it weren't for the colorful array of rings on his fingers. She pried the rest of the lid from the coffin, smirking when Balthier sat up and gasped for air. He stared at her with an incredulous look in his eyes.

"Lightning?" he asked. "How did you get here?"

She clutched his hand and pulled him from the hole, shrugging her shoulders. "Mustadio and his father discovered a machine that's able to send people across space, so why not across time?" She paused, frowning as Fran tossed him a change of clothes. Seeing the brocade vest and white blouse reminded her too much of the first time she met her Balthier back on Cocoon.

_"You were there when Serah disappeared. And now you're with us, again. You keep showing up whenever there's danger. Who are you?"_

_"Straight to the point, aren't you? Balthier, sky pirate and leading man: at your service."_

_"Sky pirate? Never heard of those."_

"Mustadio?" Balthier was looking directly at the machinist, though his smirk shifted into a look of guarded caution. "And where, pray tell, did you pick up this pup?"

Lightning was almost caught off guard by his reaction. Did he think that Mustadio was related to him and not the other Balthier? She took Mustadio's hand in her own out of habit. "He is no stray _dog_," she spat. "The Balthier I knew handled the first meeting much better than you."

Oddly enough, he hissed at her. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the other me." Fran touched his shoulder as if to calm his enraged mind, and Lightning instinctively stood between the two Bunansas. "Why did you bring him here, Lightning? To taunt me? You were so cold to me when we met, but this...even seems beneath you!"

Fran stroked his cheek, purring in his ear, "You are lowering yourself, Balthier. This is not how you usually are."

Without knowing it, Lightning had placed her free hand on the hilt of her gunblade. She narrowed her eyes when Balthier looked between his partner and Mustadio. At last, he begrudgingly held out his hand to the machinist.

"I suppose some introductions are in order, then," he spoke in a hushed voice. Mustadio slowly moved past Lightning and shook the sky pirate's hand, though he stared at the older man with a look of disbelief.

"You're like Light," he said. "Your skin's so..._cold_."

"You didn't figure that out from my execution and subsequent rise from the grave?"

Balthier turned away and stormed down the hill, the darkness following him like a shadow or an old friend. Lightning thought of following him, but she knew all too well that he wouldn't hesitate to kill her and Mustadio. Sighing, Fran faced the two outsiders and shook her head.

"I am sorry, Lightning. You have come all this way only to find disappointment. My partner does not take surprises particularly well nowadays."

"It's all right, I suppose." Lightning crossed her arms. "I understand that he's different from the Balthier that I..." _Loved? Love, even now?_ She skipped the thought entirely and changed the subject. "I just did not think he would be so opposed to this."

"Come, we should away this place; Balthier like as not has gone to the _Strahl_, and we can go to Tchita where we will be less sought."

**

* * *

**

When they reached the _Strahl_, Lightning felt like she was finally home again. Seeing Balthier and Fran flying the ship brought back memories of when she spent the last of her Balthier's years sky pirating. Being a sky pirate was nothing like she expected. Not that she expected herself to become one at all. She didn't expect a lot of the things that happened.

She, Mustadio and Fran now sat around a small campfire in the Tchita Uplands, and Balthier had disappeared into the night without any sign of coming back soon. Lightning was partially disappointed; she wanted to talk with him alone, to hear of what happened in his life after they parted ways years before. He did seem a little more moody, after all.

"I'm causing you so much trouble, Lightning," Mustadio murmured sadly while Fran cooked some stew over the fire. "Perhaps I should just go. I'll come back to pick you up in a few days—Or, I would if the controller for the time travel device wasn't broken."

"No," Lightning said hastily. "You are no chauffeur between worlds for me, Mustadio. Even if Balthier is angry, I wouldn't get rid of you."

Fran seemed amused by this, stifling a chuckle. "You are not as he said. He called you a lost chocobo wandering Ivalice in search of something to fill your empty heart."

"He said that, did he?" Lightning found herself smiling. "I didn't know I came across as that. True, I spent years mourning over Balthier's grave before my mentor, Cid, found me and gave me another reason to continue existing. But when we met, I was not _lost_."

"I can't imagine Light looking like a lost chocobo," Mustadio commented with a sudden laugh. "Lightning always leads the way!"

"That is for sure." Balthier emerged from the shadows like a cat, a small package in hand, and stood close to his partner. The way he eyed Lightning nearly sent chills down her spine. "When the Bandersnatch arrived, you did not hesitate to go for a ride, eh, Thunder?"

She turned away, scowling as if to hide her embarrassment. "That was not the way of it. And for the last time, my name is _Lightning_, not Thunder. You have a worse memory than my world's Balthier."

Later that night, Lightning chose to wander around the plains of Tchita on her own when Mustadio gave into his exhaustion. She knew that he would have enjoyed having a look around, but he looked so peaceful and innocent just laying there, she refused to pull him from his dreams. While on her walk, she constantly looked to her past and wondered what may have changed if she hadn't made the decision to stay behind with Cidolfus. Would Balthier have accepted her, as he proposed, as a sky pirate? She almost laughed at the thought. If she had gone with him, she wouldn't have met up with her Balthier again and stopped Ultima.

She wouldn't have given up that chance for anything.

When she returned to the _Strahl_, she caught sight of Balthier and Fran sitting close to one another by the fire. Balthier seemed angry about something, judging by the some-what distraught look of his silver eyes. _Silver_? Lightning remembered that look all to well, and she suddenly felt that wave of fear come over her. The two pirates were speaking to each other in vieran, and Lightning quickly listened carefully, curious as to what they were saying.

"I cannot bring myself to accept that whelp," Balthier said with a snarl. "I wandered away, hoping to find some solace and the will to take him into my heart, but I could not. Everything I worked for—everything! Gone! I do not have children because I do not want them to follow in my footsteps!"

Fran ran a clawed finger down his cheek. "Peace, dear partner. The boy comes from a different world; it may not be the same for us. Do you not see? Lightning is happy to have him. She is a lost chocobo no longer."

"I suppose I must feel sorry for the poor girl. Her man was not faithful to her. A shame, truly. She seems to be so dedicated to him, even in death..."

She frowned, as if upset about something. But her frown changed into a small smile. "And if the child exists, that means you have not been loyal to me, either."

Balthier merely scoffed, turning his eyes to where Lightning stood. She felt her mind racing when she met his gaze, fearful of that silver daze, and quickly hid behind the hill, pressing her back against the stone. She was breathing heavily, shutting her eyes tightly and willing her mind to stop its rampage.

_"Just promise me that you'll be careful. I'd...rather not know that something terrible may happen to you when I'm not around."_

_"Promise. Don't think that I'm ready to let you go so soon. You may be the leading man, still, but you belong to me. No one else."_

_"Unless I'm mistaken, it would seem that you're implying something, my dear. Am I right?"_

When she peered back to the camp, Fran was sitting alone and tending to the weak flame dancing around the logs. Lightning kept her calm as she joined the viera, sitting down in the spot where Balthier once was. The small package from earlier was placed perfectly in between them.

"He left something," Lightning said, picking up the bag and examining it with suspicious eyes.

"Aye," Fran agreed with a nod. "But it was purposeful. I believe he meant you to have it."

It was filled with all sorts of vials and containers, and even a few phoenix downs were tightly encased in the pockets. Lightning looked up at Fran again, her lips tightly pursed. "I don't need potions, elixirs, or anything of the like."

"Then they are for Mustadio." Fran's thin smile appeared when she spotted Mustadio's slumbering form beside the fire. "He does care, in his own strange way. I think he was just shocked that were still Bunansa offspring in Ivalice; he does not want anyone to know what happened between him and his father, and he certainly does not want that to happen between him and any offspring."

"That is logical, I guess." Lightning unfolded her gunblade in her lap, admiring the newest repairs happily. "Balthier came back, eventually, in my world as well...He was forced to leave later on, but he didn't deny Mustadio as a relative. In fact, he actually wanted me to move on, even though he still...cared for me. Him and Mustadio were very much alike. Though, if Ramza dared call him 'grandfather'..."

Fran smiled. "My partner would have been no different."

**

* * *

**

The freezing cold wind of the Paramina Rift brushing against her skin only felt like feathers, and Lightning simply smiled when she saw that Balthier was completely unaffected by the iced air as well. Mustadio, on the other hand, was practically clinging to her coat in an attempt to stay warm. His teeth chattered loudly, and she almost thought of telling him that he'd have to cling to Fran if he was looking for warmth. But, it seemed that just thinking of a viera put him in a bumbling state of foolishness.

Fafnir's roars called to her and she followed its call to where she knew it lay. Long ago, the gathering of cliffs was once the grave for the false god Ragnarok, killed by Lightning when the Judge of Wings summoned it to test her. She remembered it clearly, how Vaan tried his hardest to protect her. He always tried to prove himself, didn't he?

Mustadio, when Fafnir stood menacingly at the end of the hillside, took a deep breath and puffed out his chest. Lightning had to smile at his poor attempt at being brave. "He's smaller than Yiazmat!" he yelled. "Let's get it, Light!"

Lightning shook her head. "Stay behind me, Mustadio. Back us up with your gunfire." She smirked, glancing at Balthier. "Balthier and I will worry the beast from close quarters."

"_Worry_ it?" Balthier clearly wasn't impressed. "I would hope we could do more than that."

"Just follow my lead!"

Lightning quickly made her way to Fafnir, trying to remember how she distracted it the last time she fought it. Years ago, she had Snow fighting with her, as well as Ashe, but because she was the only immortal one out of them all, she had to settle for the role of the distraction. She remembered that Snow once told her Balthier did the same, only that was when they fought the Shiva Sisters.

She managed to duck down in time before Fafnir's jaws could clench her rigid frame, thanks to a snapping bullet from Mustadio. Yet as she raised her arm to stab the beast, it thundered away from her and headed straight for the machinist. Yelling out, she willed her feet to move faster than ever, charging a Flare spell under her breath.

But it was Balthier who beat her to it. He took the worst of the blow, earning a deep gash across his chest that was soon caked with thick and sticky black blood. Lightning grimaced at the color. She barely heard the exchange of words between him and Mustadio; something on the lines of why Balthier actually protected the machinist. "Light likes you," was his answer.

She and Fran dragged Balthier behind the cliffs when Fafnir was distracted by a horde of undead skeletons. Lightning, for a moment, wondered if Balthier had a hand in that. She quickly got to her knees beside him, pressing her hands against the oozing wound on his chest.

"Don't talk, Balthier," she whispered in a hurried tone. "Concentrate on getting better; I know you don't need magick to heal yourself."

Fran chuckled. "Silencing Balthier is like attempting to dam all the water in the Naldoan Sea. It is impossible to stop him if he wants to say something."

"Fran, please," Balthier groaned. "You're ruining the _drama_ of the moment."

"I fail to see where the drama is, pirate," Lightning growled. Always the leading man...Why did he have to be so much like _him_, even near his apparent death? "You've been laid open like a fish! Why did you do it? I thought you hated Mustadio..."

"At first...didn't know what to think." He looked to be falling into unconsciousness, but his will to confess something pulled him away. "Just...woke up in the dark, and then I saw him. I was...jealous."

"Jealous! You have _Fran_, Balthier. Why are you jealous?"

Balthier was smiling. "You're really...such a pretty girl, Light. When I finally looked into your eyes...thought you looked...so very sad and lonely. Gods, I was so selfish until now...I did not realize it until last night, realized you were happy...I'm so very glad for you, Light." He momentarily lifted a trembling hand and pressed it against her cheek, and Lightning leaned into the comforting warmth. His hand slipped back to the snow when he turned his eyes to Fran. "And Fran, I'd say you never intended to kill Fafnir. You wanted to kill me...Pity I had to die to realize all the things you wanted me to."

His head fell back when he passed out, and Lightning quickly turned away when Fran hefted him over her shoulder. Lightning kept a firm grip on Mustadio as they fled from the scene, following Fran back to the ship. And all the while, she was lost in the memory of another last minute confession; but not Balthier's. No...Her own.

_"Balthier, you're going to be okay. It's...it's not going to end like this. You can't leave me. Not now."_

_"Hadn't you best be off? The leading lady can't be caught dawdling just because her love interest is gone..."_

_"She's nothing without her leading man."_

_"Haven't been called that in years..."_

_"And he never dies, so don't think you can now. Okay? You've told me that so many times. Do you remember, back on Cocoon? You promised me that you wouldn't leave while others were still in danger or while I needed you. I still need you, Balthier."_

_"You don't know...how long I've waited to hear that from you..."_

**

* * *

**

Balthier healed up quicker than Lightning imagined, though she knew that nothing would kill him so easily. She leaned back in her seat, across from where the other three sat at the kitchen table of the _Strahl_, and watching with a smug look as the two Bunansas talked.

"You say the mechanism to send you across time is broken?" Balthier asked, ignoring the feeling of Fran's claws poking at his newest scar. The medallion in his chest was gleaming dimly in the light.

Mustadio took the deformed machine from Lightning and let its parts spill onto the table. The sky pirate stared at it with a ghastly expression before turning around.

"Good gods, woman," he gasped. "What did you do to this thing?"

She fingered her auracite necklace, smiling. "Balthier, Snow would have done something like break it, not me."

He rolled his eyes, looking down at the machine as he quickly started repairing it. "Whoever 'Snow' is..."

Lightning sat up, gazing out the window to the sky. If Snow's ghost were there, no doubt he wouldn't have been very pleased to know that somewhere, in another world, Balthier had no idea who he was.

"I have a Teleport Stone; you can use it to replace the power source in your machine," Balthier explained. "It will likely be enough, since it was enough to teleport the _Strahl_."

Mustadio whistled in awe. "My father would be jumping mad to see this technology and get ahold of it. I suppose he'll be missing us now, Light." When she nodded, he faced Balthier and Fran. "Er...Thanks for letting us stay?"

"Nice of you to visit," Balthier said with a purr in his voice. "Send us a letter in advance, though, if you plan on dropping by. I wouldn't fancy killing Mustadio because I thought he was a figment of my own, broken imagination."

Out of fright, Mustadio pressed the button much too early and Mist slowly formed around him and Lightning. Biting her lip, she looked to the sky pirate in hopes of hearing him speak again. Just one last time.

"Enjoy yourself, Lightning," he drawled with a wave of his hand. "Mortal lives are short."

She couldn't help but smirk. "Eternity isn't forever, either."

In a flash of green light, the _Strahl_ and its captains disappeared and was replaced with the familiar oily smell of a workshop. Lightning pushed herself up from the floor, clutching her pounding head, and smiled when she saw Mustadio being embraced by his father. She looked back down at the device laying beside her, then back to the father and son pair.

_"You will find your way back to me, of course. A leading man is nothing without his leading lady."_

Lightning softly touched the device and smiled once more, looking to Mustadio before vanishing from sight.

**

* * *

**

_Cliffhanger? What? Yes, weird ending that I came up with in a spur of the moment epiphany. Where did she go, I wonder...;)_


	6. EC: Divine undead

**Title:** _Will We Ever Stop? Heck No!; or rather, Divine undead_**  
Story:** _Starstruck series / The World Traveler series_**  
Author's Note:** _This is seriously turning into a full blown series! Mini-series? Yes, something like that. Anyway, I'm really excited to post this because Snow finally gets some attention! (Mu portrayed him very, very well, I must say.) I switched things up a bit with Snow running off, just so we could see what he was thinking at the time. But, without further delay, here's the third part in the Mu and Tango Crossover with Undead!Balthier and Eternal!Lightning._

**

* * *

**

Lightning fell against a tree the second she felt herself leave the clouds of Mist. She kept her eyes closed as she prodded her pockets for her teleportation device, though her lips pulled into a sneer the moment it cracked at her touch. One of these days she would learn how to _not_ break every single auracite-lined machine when she flew through time.

The fresh, lively scent of Gran Pulse filled her senses, and almost immediately she knew that she was home. But something was different. She made sure to arrive in time to see herself watch Balthier, Snow and Fran depart for Ivalice, yet something was amiss.

She couldn't feel _his_ presence at all.

It wasn't long until she broke into a run, heading directly for what she hoped was still her old home. It was there, thank the gods, and it looked as if nothing had changed since the day she left for Ivalice. However, something was still wrong. Lightning kept her mouth shut as she pushed open the door, warily searching the brightly lit kitchen for a familiar face. The door closed on its own behind her, and in a hesitant motion she ran her trembling fingers across the tabletop. As she turned to the stairway, her vision was obscured by a blur of pink.

"Claire! You came back!"

Serah's embrace was as warm and angelic as she remembered. Lightning couldn't help but smile, drawing away from her young sister and running a hand across her pale cheek.

"Yeah, I'm home, aren't I?" she asked.

"When Snow told me you went to Ivalice after Balthier and Fran, I didn't know what to think." Serah fidgeted with her engagement necklace, twirling it around slender fingers. "After all that happened, with Ragnarok's death and you becoming an Eternal...I was so afraid."

The elder Farron narrowed her eyes for a moment. "Wait," she suddenly exclaimed, "I never left with them—it was Snow who left, because you..."

Then it dawned on her; this wasn't her home. For one thing, Serah was alive. She and Snow were still married, which meant he never went back to Ivalice, married Ashe, became King-Consort, and died at the age of forty-one. In turn, that meant Balthier never fell into his deep and endless depression, mourning the death his closest friend. No—she must have been dreaming. This wasn't her home; it must have been an alternate reality, yes? Unless...unless running through time had changed it completely.

Perhaps this was for the better.

"Claire, what's wrong?" Serah was staring at her with big, curious eyes.

"I...I'm still a little dazed from leaving Ivalice," Lightning lied. "Balthier told me to leave; said that he didn't me to see him pass on, eventually. Ivalice isn't where I belong. I belong here, with you, Snow and everyone else." She paused, frowning gently. "Speaking of our hero, where is he?"

On cue, as always, Snow came bounding down the stairs with a wide grin on his face. Lightning almost went weak in the knees at the sight of his young, vibrant face. The last she had seen of him, technically, was when he was a sad and lonely ghost searching for his best friend and wife. He was pale and cold, then, but now he was back to the way she wanted to remember him. This was the Snow she knew so well.

"Sis, what're you doing back so soon?" he asked. "You were so determined to go after Balthier and Fran, I didn't think you'd ever come back!" Snow peered around her, biting his lower lip. "Is...?"

Lightning felt her cold heart sting. "No, Snow. Balthier didn't come with me."

"So you just left him there, after all you did to be with him?"

"I did. It's better this way, Snow. I don't—I don't think we were ever meant to meet him in the first place."

Snow hunched his shoulders, shaking his head in disbelief. "Wasn't meant to be, huh?"

She couldn't stand seeing his utter desperation and lost appearance any longer. It wasn't right to lie to them. "Actually, forget what I said." Lightning held out her hand, keeping her eyes firmly directed at his confused face. "I'm not the Lightning you know. Or, I'm still her, but...Just a lot older. I'm over one-thousand years old, and I've lived in Ivalice since I died at the age of twenty-three. I'm from the future."

The two stared at her with similar expressions: confused, blank and down-right concerned for her sanity. Suddenly, Snow grabbed her by the shoulders and roughly shook her.

"You're lying!" he yelled. "The Lightning I know wouldn't leave Balthier alone like that! You're...you're not her! She promised to watch over him for me, to make sure that when—when he..." Snow backed away from her, his big eyes looking her up and down. It was as if she was a hideous creature with multiple heads, from the way he was staring at her. "I can't believe it..."

"Claire did say she was immortal, after what happened on the _Palamecia_," Serah soothingly muttered to Snow. "What does it matter? She's still the same person, just a bit older."

Serah had always been too understanding for her own good. Lightning smiled reluctantly, shrugging and looking in the other direction. Snow, however, begrudgingly accepted her for who she was. She was welcomed into their home, despite her uneasy feelings toward her actions. Somehow she changed fate for both Serah and Snow, so did that mean Balthier, too, wouldn't suffer his tragic fate?

Something in the back of her mind told her this was only temporary, that nothing could change Serah's horrifying transformation into Ultima. One-thousand years would pass until that day came, but it was inevitable. As was Snow's eventual death, as well. It didn't matter whether he fell in love with Ashe or not; he would still die.

It didn't take long for Sazh and Hope to figure out Lightning had returned, and she regretfully informed them that she wasn't who they thought. Sazh simply brushed it off, but Hope took some time in understanding her. At least she didn't have to explain her situation to the NORA gang; as far as they were concerned, she never left with Balthier. Lightning wasn't sure if that was a good thing, lying to her friends when at any moment, her younger self could return.

Wouldn't that be something?

**

* * *

**

"You _what_?"

Lightning slouched in her seat, smiling guiltily as Sazh furiously glared down at her. "I'm sorry about your ship," she said. "I didn't think the auracite would, well, blow it up...Balthier and Fran had the same problem with their ship, remember?"

Sazh shook his head, stalking off to the other end of the kitchen. Snow was sitting on the counter top, watching the other two with amusement and glee. "Aren't you working on a whole new ship, Sazh?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"The _Hero_ was something special, I tell ya," Sazh answered with a scowl. "Should've named it after Ragnarok or something, if it was gonna get destroyed like that. Heroes don't die so easily, but the bad guys do."

Lightning pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ragnarok wasn't what you make him out to be..."

"It's a him, now?" Snow asked, staring blankly.

"All gods have genders, Snow. I thought you would have known that, since you've been to Ivalice."

"Just because you're insanely old doesn't mean we all have the same amount of knowledge as you!"

She cracked a smile. However, Hope dashed into the room, looking somewhat startled. Sazh broke out of his stubborn ignorance and joined the other two, facing the young boy.

"There's something weird out in the forest," Hope explained, swallowing hard. "There was a big...burst of light, and then a whole bunch of Cie'th went toward it. I think—I think we've got something worse than Cie'th out there."

And so she, Sazh and Snow followed Hope out into the forest, which was coincidentally the exact place Lightning showed up a few days before. She drew her gunblade when a group of Cie'th crawled out from the trees, groaning and screeching at the sight of humes. Just like the many times before, her instinct to protect everyone but herself took over, and she immediately dove into battle.

It was almost new to her, fighting against Cie'th. She had forgotten how mindless and barbaric they were, especially when dealing with those who were once l'Cie. Nevertheless, she easily cut down her enemies, occasionally rescuing Snow when he got too reckless.

Hope started running. "This way," he called. "The lights came from here!"

Sazh groaned. "Hope, what were you _doing_ out here alone anyway? Ghoul Cie'th like to wander these woods in droves; you could have been killed!"

"Sorry, Sazh."

The other three led the way through the trees, only because Lightning was keeping an eye out for Cie'th coming up from behind. But, oddly enough, there weren't any Ghoul Cie'th around. At least, not anymore. They reached a clearing, and Snow caught sight of a misshapen hume a short distance away. He quickly grabbed hold of a branch from the ground and pierced it into the hume-like Cie'th chest, pinning it to the ground.

Lightning was too busy staring at the creature's face to do much else. _Balthier?_ she mouthed, recognizing the array of colored rings on his fingers, as well as the frayed and old vest he wore. The moonlight was shining down on him, and she grimaced when she spotted the glittering but cracked medallion buried within his chest. Despite this, and his skeletal appearance, she knew who he was.

"There's one more," Snow breathed, stepping back. "Should we kill it? It looks..." His face fell and all color drained from his face; he saw the resemblance, too. "It looks sort of like..."

Sazh pushed past him, pulling out his dual pistols. "Stand aside, Snow. I'll do it. You shouldn't look at it, I know it hurts to see that the skeleton looks like...him." He nodded toward Lightning, as if he saw how still she became. "You too, Light."

"You sure about this, Sazh?" Lightning quickly asked. The hollow sky pirate before them wasn't her Balthier; he was from the other world, the other Ivalice. She suddenly got a bad feeling; what if this Gran Pulse she was in, right now, was the alternate version of the one she was used to?

Snow grabbed one of the pistols, aiming it shakily at Balthier's face. "_No_! I can do it! It's not him, it can't be him, because he left!"

"_Snow_!" Lightning moved to snatch the gun from him, but it went off with an ear shattering bang. She opened her eyes, sighing with relief when she saw that the bullet barely missed Balthier's head.

"Hume child, why did you miss?" Balthier asked in a hoarse voice. Snow was shuddering on the spot, no doubt wary of how relaxed the sky pirate was acting, despite almost getting shot.

"Because I suck at handling guns, all right?" Snow threw the gun to the ground, clenching his fists. "A long time ago, someone told me beating things to death with my hands was ridiculously barbaric!" He glared at Lightning. "Why'd you stop me, sis?"

Lightning ignored him, too busy with trying to pry the branch out of Balthier. It was hard to pull it without scraping his worn down ribs, but that wasn't the main reason as to why she was so hesitant. Balthier had hid this from her all along; did he not trust her? To think, she had been spending so much time with the walking dead...Not that she wasn't any different, of course. But he still lied to her.

And so she did the first thing that came to mind. Lightning punched him across his face, purposely knocking his jaw out of place and stunning him. Snow flinched behind her, obviously startled by her violent wrath against the man who resembled the one she loved.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" she spat, regarding how easily he snapped his jaw back into place. "You're...you're a damned skeleton, and you never told me!"

"It wasn't a problem when we met," Balthier coolly replied. She raised her white knuckled fists again, but chose not to retaliate when she spotted the burnt and mangled bone of his hand.

She sighed, bending down on her knees. "What did you do to your hand, pirate?" she asked, though she wasn't expecting an answer; she already knew. White magick wasn't the greatest of ways of healing to the undead; in fact, it was the opposite, something she experienced a few times in her long and lonely life.

"I know, you're going to tell me to be more careful, don't be rash, and stop doing stupid things, right?"

Lightning looked at him, pausing her magick momentarily. "No, I was going to ask what happened to you." She remembered him as the slightly mad, slightly charming, but definitely frightening sky pirate that crashed into the forest some years ago. But this—she hardly recognized him!

He took a deep breath, but his chest barely creaked from the motion. "This...is the secret to my immortality." Balthier grinned, reminding her a lot of Mustadio, just more dead and eerie. "Charming, isn't it?"

A second punch to the face was her response. "This isn't the time for jokes, _pirate_. Snow just tried to kill you, and he'd never do that. He cares about you—I mean, the other Balthier too much."

"Please, don't do that, Light," he growled, pushing himself up from the ground a bit more. He eyed Snow carefully, as if inspecting him for anything out of the ordinary. "So this is Snow?"

If anything, just having someone who looked like the other Balthier made Snow the happiest man in Pulse. He grinned faintly, pushing past Lightning and Sazh. "You didn't lose your mind or anything when, well..._that_ happened to you, did you? You remember me, right? I'm the one who's supposed to get amnesia about people I know all the time, not you..."

Lightning gave Balthier a look, telling him to be gentle when bearing the bad news. "We've never met," the undead pirate finally said, and Snow paled again. "I'm not Light's man. I only bear a striking resemblance to him, that's all."

"You look like you might need to eat more, and maybe get a whole lot of bandages, and then maybe you'll look a little...I dunno, more lively and back to your usual self?"

Ignoring his attempts at bonding, Lightning looped her arm underneath Balthier's shoulders to help him stand. Feeling that he wasn't completely cold and not overly warm was comforting, and it distracted her temporarily from the thought that he, even though he was talking normally, was a decaying and disfigured corpse.

"That was a bad show, Ice," Balthier said, and Snow perked up instantly.

"You remember me?"

"No, weren't you listening? We've never met. From what Light told me, though, I got the distinct impression of a rather clumsy buffoon with no prowess at handling technology whatsoever."

Snow sent a hurtful glare at her. "Hey! That was mean, sis!"

Again, his remarks were ignored, and instead Lightning took the initiative to introduce the rest of her companions. "The man with the guns is Sazh, and the kid is Hope."

They went on their way, and while Lightning reminded Hope that they were all kids to her (she was over one thousand, after all), she overheard Snow pestering Balthier continuously.

"Listen to that, Balthier. The nerve of Lightning nowadays. Now that she's become an Eternal, she's come near insufferable, don't you think?"

Balthier smirked. "Well, actually I'm about four-hundred-ten right now, so it won't do much good to complain to me, sorry."

"You're o—"

"Don't say it."

Snow frowned, sluggishly walking between Balthier and Sazh. "All right...So I've come to the conclusion that maybe time passes differently in Ivalice than it does in Gran Pulse."

Lightning groaned, covering her face with both of her hands. She would have to have a talk with that oaf if he continued to think this Balthier was the one he knew. Yet she couldn't blame him. She did the very same. Sighing, she curiously watched as they walked beneath the trees; Balthier reverted to his normal and dashing appearance, no longer looking like the living dead.

**

* * *

**

Serah, the moment she saw Balthier, was nearly brought to tears. She embraced him, not startled by his icy skin, and proceeded to tell him how good it was to see him again. Lightning didn't bother telling her the truth, however, and simply kept her eyes on Snow. He was almost green with jealousy, but of whom, she couldn't tell. He eventually left, ignoring the rest of the world and acting not like himself.

"There, much better, right?" Serah finished tying the bandages tightly around Balthier's burned fingers, smiling warmly. "I'm afraid that if you go outside, they'll probably fall off, but if you stay out of the light or maybe try to keep this hand out of it, you'll be fine!"

"Serah..." Lightning murmured, slightly embarrassed. Her younger sister practically pranced out of the room, heading for the bedroom she shared with Snow. Balthier gave her a slightly quizzical look, and she forced a shrug. "That's Serah for you."

"I can hardly believe you two are sisters," Balthier added, observing the room with slight interest. He seemed tense, for some reason, almost like just being in a house was unnatural.

"Oh?"

"For one, she does not have the mad urge to punch men every few seconds."

Lightning forced a curt laugh, looking at her fingertips to make it seem as if she wasn't bothered by the thought. "You know, returning home and seeing everyone so alive and well, it makes me feel happy, you know? But I feel so sad at the same time, knowing that I'll see them pass again. I don't really know what happened, and I don't really _want_ to know. I...I'm not here to change the past or prevent anything."

"You have the opportunity, though. What you've told me, about what happens to..." His silver flecked eyes flickered in the direction Serah danced off to, where Snow's loud and partially annoying snores sounded. "You could stop it, or prevent it from happening to her."

"Yeah, maybe. I could save her so much pain, but I..." She bit her lower lip. "I don't know what to do."

There was a pregnant pause, but the silence was almost comforting, like a pair of hands urging her onward, leading her into the light. Lightning closed her eyes, wondering what her other self was doing at the time. Was she happy in Ivalice, being a sky pirate and sailing the skies with the one she loved so much?

Balthier's voice dragged her out of her vigil. "I met someone who seems like he was rather important to you. He wanted you to have this." He held out a single rose, and the familiar wave of tenderness and uncertainty came over her. When she held it, she could almost hear the waterfall crashing against the rocks in the distance, and the wind gently caressing her skin as _he_ put his arms around her. "I think you can guess who it's from. That same thing that dragged me here."

_Ragnarok_...

Lightning cradled the rose in her hands, afraid that if she dared let go of it, all connection to her true home would be lost. "How..." she tried to say, but all that really came out was a strangled sob.

"He's still out there, Light, and he still loves you."

_He still loves you._ How could she have been so foolish? Her Balthier had passed on already, and she chose to leave her life in Ivalice behind. But she left someone important there, someone that had been with her since eternity had claimed her broken and lonely soul. _Ragnarok still loves you._

"By the way," Balthier continued, "he also said you were alone. Where's Mustadio?"

Ah, another poor soul she lost. Lightning waited until she was calm to answer. "I left him at ho—...In Ivalice. I didn't want him to come; he doesn't belong here. I couldn't bear the burden of knowing that he would leave me, too, just like everyone else..."

The thick silence returned, covering them like a blanket, but something was amiss. Lightning tucked the rose into her pocket, gently brushing her fingers against its petals before looking at Balthier once more. He noticed it, too. Grinning to herself, she counted down under her breath, "Three...two...one..."

Snow tackled Balthier like he was a Cie'th fiend threatening the safety of their home, almost knocking the sky pirate to the floor in an attempt to choke the life out of him with a hug. A laugh escaping her lips, Lightning smiled in hidden joy as Balthier whined loudly and just about looked to kill the other man. Serah, yawning from sleep, trudged into the room when Snow finally ended his death-hug. Lightning then joined her in the kitchen, but couldn't help eavesdropping on the conversation in the other room.

"Geez, Balthier, don't you usually stay in one place long enough to warm it up?"

"No, I stay in one place long enough to cool it down. You need to stop deluding yourself, Snow Villiers. I'm not who you think I am, nor can I ever be."

The truth must have hit Snow harder than it did for Lightning. She once wished Balthier was the man she knew and cared for, but he was much different. Almost _too_ different. But they were alike in many, many ways as well. Both charmed her almost instantly, tempting her into a life she wished she could have. However, there was the undying thirst for blood in them, one caused by a mad god and the other caused by a cursed medallion.

If she wasn't mistaken, it seemed that the gods, no matter which ones they were, had something planned.

**

* * *

**

When Lightning dragged Balthier out of the house, hoping to visit Sazh and Dajh, Snow was almost convinced that she was intending to keep the sky pirate to herself. Sure, he wasn't exactly _their_ Balthier, but still...Who gave her the right to keep him all to herself?

"Do you think," Serah said after a while, "that Claire's just as confused as you are?"

Snow stared at her, finally turning his eyes away from the door. "I'm not confused, not at all. I just..."

"You miss him, I understand. I wouldn't have minded, you know, if you'd chosen to go along. Claire told me about...that other girl in Ivalice."

"Other girl?"

"Someone by the name of Ashe, I think."

His heart dropped; of course, how could he forget? He should have remembered that Ashe had taken care of him after the _Bahamut's_ destruction, giving him a life that he hoped would replace the one he lost with Serah. But then the fates willed that they returned to Pulse, and there they were. Ragnarok was gone, Balthier was gone...But now he, or someone who was just like him, was back. But that didn't mean Snow missed someone else just as much.

"I'm going out for a walk," Snow suddenly said, standing up from the table. He forced complete ignorance of Serah's bewildered and disappointed expression as he marched out the door, clenching his fists and cursing himself for even thinking of his past. What did it matter, anyway? Just because Lightning showed up, claiming she was from the future, everything was changing. He didn't notice it before, but something didn't feel right.

First he found out Lightning was over one thousand years old, then he met Balthier's undead and slightly insane doppelganger. What was next, an alternate version of Snow that was willingly a pawn to the gods?

He laughed loudly, pushing past the trees and bushes. Occasionally a spider or two would fall on his head, and Snow would hastily brush it away, growling under his breath. His life had been pretty damn fine until the fal'Cie showed up...

_But if they hadn't taken over, you wouldn't have met your leading man_, a voice purred in his head.

Snow stopped in his place, frowning at himself. "Okay, conscience, you can stop that now."

_You're just dying to have him save you, at least once more. If you try, he'll come for you. He always will._

Pondering over this, he had to admit that his inner voice was right. Since defeating Ragnarok and Lindzei, there were only three things he wanted: to live a happy life with Serah, to see Ashe at least once more, and be with Balthier. Was that so much to ask for?

The massive Oretoise standing over him thought so.

Snow stumbled backward, falling against the rough bark of a tree. He grasped for something, anything that could help him hold off the gigantic fiend. "I forgot these were still around," he murmured hopelessly. "Damn amnesia..."

The Oretoise roared, or whatever sort of noise that was, and stomped its beastly hooves, making the ground quake viciously. Snow held onto the tree for moment before making a beeline for the other side of the clearing, tripping over his own feet a few times as he broke into a fast sprint. He wasn't fast enough, unfortunately. The Oretoise swung its tusks at him, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying. Landing with a sickening snap in the grass, Snow groaned and rolled over. His arm was screaming at him, and it was twisted at an awkward angle. Broken, no doubt. The tusks were flying toward him again, and Snow had to crawl quickly out of the way once again.

That was when Lightning, Sazh and that doppelganger showed up. He heard Balthier curse in another language while Lightning dragged him away from the Oretoise, her lips pulled into a tight and fearsome scowl.

"You should know better than to wander through the woods alone," she snapped angrily.

But Snow wasn't paying any attention to her. Balthier was standing with Sazh, already prepared for a fight. "You came back for me, Balthier," Snow coughed, fighting back a cheery grin. "I knew you would."

"Stubborn humes should be quiet when they are injured," Balthier casually replied. "I can't heal you, Ice. White magick is the bane of my existence, other than children."

"Balthier—" Snow started to complain, but blood spurted out of his mouth instead. He winced, a pang of warmth stinging his side. Bleeding on the inside; not good.

"Ice, shut up," Balthier warned sharply. "You've not done much for me to have the need to protect you; I'm doing this because Lightning has dragged me out here with the intention of doing something heroic."

He had to smile at that, no matter how much it hurt. _Same old Balthier_. "I'm the hero, Balthier. You shouldn't have to save me."

"Even the hero needs to be saved everyone once in a while."

Sazh moved toward Snow, checking his wounds with a disgruntled and frustrated look on his face. He looked back at Balthier, shaking his head. "If he doesn't stop talking, he's going to hurt himself. I'm pretty sure he's Doomed."

Doomed? Snow frowned, laying his head back down on the soft, welcoming grass. Since when could Oretoises cast Doom?

"He's pretty close to the end, unless we find a way to slow his blood down..." Sazh sighed gravely. "Anyone know how to do that?"

Balthier joined them finally, while Lightning continued to distract the Oretoise with her quicksilver and cat-like moves. The sky pirate took Snow's hand in his own, and the blond grimaced. So _damn_ cold!

"This may hurt a moment," he murmured before nipping the back of Snow's hand. Instantly, Snow shot up from the ground, only yelling out when his wounds screamed again.

"What are you—..." Suddenly he felt very, very tired. He could barely make out Sazh and Balthier's looming figures, though they looked more like watchful blurs now. Lightning was just a pink and red shape dancing around the much larger black beast, and the trees seemed to be...laughing? Yeah, laughing. Mocking, or something like that.

Then he found himself somewhere else, somewhere warm and dry. Dalmasca; he could have sworn he was back there. Ashe was there, too, smiling oh so kindly at him, but he wasn't smiling back. In fact, something dark was forcing him to look away from her, like a monstrous but quiet voice tempting him into the pitch black shadows. Snow pulled away, calling for Ashe, but soon he was back in the grass, staring up at Balthier with a longing expression.

"What did you...do...?"

Balthier gently set Snow's hand to his side, and for a little bit, Snow almost missed that chilled feeling against his skin. "It's simply a natural anesthesia. You'll wake up in an hour, Doom free if we can find a remedy, feeling better than ever. By the way, I thought you might want to know: your blood tastes terrible, Ice. Almost as bad as Baknamy."

"You said that before!" Snow exclaimed excitedly, but he soon corrected himself. "I mean, the other you did, but—but!"

And then everything went dark.

**

* * *

**

Lightning wanted nothing more than to tie Balthier to a tree and punch him until he apologized to her. First he had to bite Snow, even though he knew the risks (Serah wasn't too happy, either), and then he just _had_ to get himself killed in order to save them all. She twirled the pirate medallion between her fingers, staring at it in wonder. The skull and crossbones was grinning at her, it seemed.

Sighing deeply, she looked back at Snow, who was out cold on the couch. After Hope informed them that the oaf had gotten himself tangled with a Long Gui Oretoise, she wanted to punch him, too. Always getting into trouble and expecting someone else to save him, even though he called himself a hero.

"Idiot," she spat, turning away.

She needed to stop surrounding herself with men who thought themselves to be heroes; Balthier, both of them, was always calling himself the leading man, and Snow never shut up about being a hero. A small wave of sadness came over Lightning as she remembered the young and brash Mustadio grinning at her. He, too, risked himself to save her. And how did she repay him?

"Sorry, Mustadio," she whispered, closing her eyes temporarily. "I'll make it up to you, somehow. I promise."

The medallion was suddenly burning within her grasp, and Lightning dropped it the moment it started to glow. Blotched skin formed around its golden hue, and amidst the Mist, a massive beast appeared into view. Lightning lost her footing for a second, stumbling against the wall. Ragnarok! She found herself smiling.

"It's you," she said in a hushed voice. "You came back."

Ragnarok met her gaze, purring, then made his way toward Snow's inert form. He touched his nose to the man's forehead, waking him up with a start. Snow shot up from the couch, looking wildly around the room until he spotted the beast through his daze.

"You...?"

"_Me_." How strange; she recognized Balthier's sarcastic drawl almost instantly, mixed in with Ragnarok's sophisticated but murderous growl. "_You ought to be thankful; you were going to die_."

Snow shook his head furiously. "I don't owe you _nothing_, Ragnarok!" he slurred. "Just 'cause you were once a part of Balthy, doesn't mean I'm your newest chew toy! I've still got the scars from that one time in that...tomb...place."

Almost laughing, Ragnarok faced Lightning. She could make out the faint, hume figure somewhere within the beast, smirking at her. "_I'm sorry, Claire. Perhaps...one day, you will join us in the sky, hm?_"

A chuckle escaped her lips. "You came back and possessed Balthier just to tell me _that_?"

"_Selfish, isn't it? He made a deal, and he chose to be possessed, just like that little machinist boy you had before him..._"

"You're just jealous of Mustadio. You were the same way when he bought me my bracelet," she added, waving the trinket that dangled from her wrist.

"_I wish to be hume, and is it not their nature?_"

Ragnarok began to slowly fade with the Mist, becoming a translucent figure in the darkness. She remembered what Balthier mentioned earlier, something about a god pulling him from his world into this one. All for a single rose, too.

"You dragged him away," Lightning said. "Fran is going to give him hell for this."

"_Alas. Farewell, Claire._"

"This isn't good-bye, Ragnarok." She smiled, reaching for his monstrous cheek. But he was already gone before she could touch him. "You know I'm going to find a way back to you and everyone else."

By the time all the Mist had cooled and faded away, Snow was rambling about losing Balthier again, prompting Serah to comfort him as much as she could. Lightning simply stood in the middle of their living room, wishing that for once, she wouldn't get left behind.

_Someday_, she told herself. _Someday I'll find a way to end this._

"So..." Snow, calming down, looked at the Farron sisters expectantly. "Since when have you had a _thing_ with Mister I'm-so-damn-charming-even-though-I-eat-people-for-brunch, sis?"

Lightning didn't care if he was still hurt; a quick punch to the face shut him up for the rest of the night.


	7. EC: It's about time to fly away

**Title:** _Mu and Tango Crossover Part Four; or rather, It's about time to fly away_**  
Story: **_Starstruck series / The World Traveler series_**  
Author's Note:** _And so begins the 4th part in the Mu and Tango crossover series. This one might be on the sad side, though. I had an epiphany the other day while listening to some music, especially the song _It's About Time_ by Barcelona. Mu recommended it to me a while back, and I absolutely love it. So what does it have to do with this part? Well, the song talks about three people: a man, a woman and the narrator. Obviously for this drabble, Lightning is the woman, and the man is Undead!Balthier. As for the narrator...Well, I was random and decided Lightning's Balthier needed to have a part in this. :)_

**

* * *

**

_They didn't understand her._

Lightning sat staring at the people she called her friends—her _family_. Sazh was busy lecturing Hope and Dajh about the dangers of wandering off alone, while Serah happily looked on as Snow boasted about his most recent ventures through Pulse. There were three missing from their group, however. Fang and Vanille were still crystallized with Cocoon, even though Lightning had already seen them pass on a few years before. As for their third lost comrade...Well, she hardly expected Balthier to be standing in the doorway, acting as if he'd only been gone a few days.

But it had been a year since Lightning last saw him. No, not her sky pirate. The undead one, the one she had slowly missed over time. He must have been off flying through worlds, terrorizing the cruel and charming the weak. Lightning smirked slightly; she had been weak when they first met, so it was no surprise when she fell under his spell. But after seeing how dedicated he was to Fran...Her heart returned to its rightful place.

Though she was surrounded by people who loved her (even though she was _years_ older than them), something was missing. Things had changed in the one year she spent in Gran Pulse, and things would continue to change until the plague arrived. It was undeniable that most of the events caused by Ultima would still take place, even though Serah remained as lively and cheerful as ever. And if the plague came to Pulse again, no one would survive.

Lightning knew she wouldn't be able to handle watching all of them die again. Sometimes she wished she had taken up on Balthier's offer when they met in Ivalice. He had told her she would make a fine sky pirate, hadn't he? Just imagine - she could have been soaring the skies of Ivalice with him and Fran. She could have been _free_.

"Hey, sis, I forgot to tell you," Snow said all of the sudden, pulling Lightning from her thoughts. "Just the other day, when I was searching the clearing in the forest, I found _this_!" He pulled out a glowing orange stone from his coat pocket, grinning ear-to-ear. "It's a Teleport Stone, from Ivalice! Betcha can think of who left it here, right?" He didn't wait for her to answer; he was too excited. "Balthier! I saw him disappearing in a green light, back in that clearing. This Stone was sitting right where he was, too."

Her eyes were glued to the stone like it was entrancing her. "A Teleport Stone, huh? I highly doubt he left it here for me, Snow. Ever think it's meant for you?"

"Nah, I don't think he liked me very much, all 'cause I kept thinking he was...you know..." Snow frowned, slouching in his seat. "The other Balthier. _Our_ Balthier."

Lightning took the Teleport stone from him, eying it cautiously. "So what if he left it? It's not like any of us plan on getting lost in another world like he always does. I wouldn't fit in well in Underland, I think. I'm too pale and dead. And cutting off heads isn't my kind of thing."

"Underland?" Hope asked, eyebrows raised.

"Don't ask—it's a long story..."

Silence covered them like a warm blanket, until Snow spoke up again. "I think you should go visit him," he said. "I mean, he probably misses you or something. Why else would he stop by and leave a Teleport Stone?"

"To tell me that I should go back to my time?"

"No, not that," Serah interrupted. "What Snow is trying to say is that Balthier must have known you would someday change your mind. Don't pretend I haven't noticed that look you get whenever we mention him and Ragnarok, Claire. Ever since that day, you've been moping and sulking about losing them both."

Lightning sighed. "They're not the only ones I've lost," she muttered under her breath. She had yet to mention Mustadio to them, but that was only because she didn't know how they'd react. Revealing the truth that she, long ago, allowed her Balthier to have countless affairs wouldn't send Snow into a fit of rage. Back in her world, he would always get mad whenever Balthier returned from a drunken night in Balfonheim, scarcely able to recollect that night's events.

"All this talk of two Balthiers is making my head hurt," Sazh grumbled with a scowl. "Which one are you talking 'bout now?"

"I think the skeleton one," Hope murmured. "You know, the one who committed suicide right in front of you, Snow and Light?"

"I thought both of 'em have committed suicide in front of us..."

"No, the non-undead Balthier just died on his own; it wasn't suicide, I think. And he came back afterward."

"Doesn't that make him undead, too? I mean, how many times has he died?"

Lightning slammed her hand on the table, the snap echoing throughout the kitchen. "It doesn't matter!" she spat furiously. "I'm not going anywhere, and this time," she made a point of glaring at Sazh and Hope, "you're not forcing me! All right?"

It was Snow who retaliated first, but not in the way she expected. "You're being selfish, sis!" he snarled. "Just because you've given up any chances of happiness, doesn't mean you have to take it away from others."

Again, her thoughts drifted to Mustadio. He had been happy with her, but she left out of grief and fear of losing him.

"Even if he's not the Balthier we know, you and him have got a lot in common," Snow continued, somewhat bothered by his own words. His eyebrows were knit tightly, and he frustratingly turned his gaze toward the window overlooking Cocoon's crystallized majesty. "Maybe he just wants a truly immortal companion, somebody he can relate to. And by staying here, moping about being an Eternal, you're not making his life any better."

"You don't even know him," Lightning said quietly, "so how can you pretend you understand? He's not _our_ Balthier. Remember?" She rolled her eyes, getting up and storming toward the door. However, Serah's voice stopped her from going further.

"I saw how you looked at him, Claire. You care about him, more than you want to admit."

Lightning clenched her fists, biting her lower lip as she tried to figure out how to explain herself. At last, she couldn't find the means to say anything but, "Fine, then. I'm going. But don't expect me to come back."

And so she fled. She hid in the forest a few days, occasionally sitting in the tall trees and staring at Cocoon. She almost wished Fang and Vanille would talk to her; maybe they would have understood how she felt. They weren't alive anymore, technically, but they must have known what it was like to miss someone so much. If he wasn't stuck in another time, Ragnarok would have been more than happy to talk with her, too.

One night, she decided to use the last bit of energy in the teleportation device Besrudio made to send Balthier a warning. After all, isn't that what he said to do if she wanted to visit him? Smiling gently, she tied a rose to the device and pressed the button, throwing it into the sky and watching it vanish before her eyes.

She waited a day before leaving. However, she couldn't stand it anymore. For over a thousand years, she had been searching for a way to end her own life. She tried using countless white magick spells on herself, but those served to just knock her out for a few hours. She even attempted to lock herself away, but her rampaging mind forced her to end her isolation.

There had to be a way to escape. Feolthanos, long ago, had told her that only Eternal beings could kill their own kind, but she was now the last. No one could kill her no matter how hard they tried. They needed to be immortal, like her, to bring her what she wanted.

_Immortal?_ The Teleport stone grew warm in her grasp. Lightning jumped down from the branch and set the stone down on a rock, and drawing her gunblade, she took a step back. Shutting her eyes as tight as she could, Lightning swung her blade into the stone, and soon a bright green light engulfed her.

**

* * *

**

Whatever city Lightning had landed herself in wasn't exactly the place she was hoping to be. The bright sun shining above Ivalice temporarily warmed her chilled body, but it was the sight of all the filthy, barbaric humes and other humanoids trudging around the place that worried her. Some eyed her like she was a piece of meat waiting to be torn apart, while others avoided her completely. She looked down at her clothes; her old Guardian Corps uniform must have been both odd and intriguing to them.

Night came sooner than she wanted, however. Not only was she lost, but she had no idea whatsoever as to where Balthier was. Ivalice was different than she remembered, even from when she and Mustadio visited a few years before. The city itself appeared to be tainted with blood of the poor, from what she could smell. A young blond girl, nearly five years old, informed her that Old Archades had been the site of many peculiar events, though lately things had been quite laid back. Lightning thanked her and told her to go back to her family, and continued on her way through the city.

"Old Archades, huh?" she murmured as she watched the little girl scamper away. "This, in the other world, was where Ragnarok ran rampant years ago. I guess it's the site of a bloodbath here, too."

Unfortunately, when she walked right into a dark and foul smelling alleyway, she discovered why the city felt like death. A man with missing teeth and a lingering scent of sweat cornered her, holding a rusted dagger centimeters away from her neck. He had too much hair on his body, and she didn't doubt that he had been one of the humes following her throughout the day, more than interesting in her appearance.

"Listen here, girl," he said in a rough voice. "I don't like the way you been walkin' around here, actin' like you own the place."

Lightning scoffed. "How about you go crawl back into the sewers you came from?"

He leered at her, but whatever attempts he was making at being threatening were inaffective. "I don't like your tone, either. You got a feisty attitude, girl. Attitudes like that are bound to get you killed..." He grinned toothily. "Or _worse_."

Before he even had the chance to advance on her, a bullet whizzed through his chest and penetrated the brick wall inches away from Lightning's shoulder. The odoriferous man collapsed at her feet, blood seeping from the hole in his heart. Lightning shuddered, stepping over his inert body and looking toward the roof.

"You're late," she said. A sudden smile slipped across her lips when Balthier stepped into view, his skeletal form a frighteningly stunning sight in the moonlight. She spotted the rose she sent him attached to his matted belt, hanging like a limp hand. It, like him, had lost its life and wilted, becoming a mere shell of what it once was. He shrugged, wiping oil from his gun's barrel.

"At least give an old man some sympathy. You should have told me you'd pick _this_ place to hold a rendezvous."

Lightning stifled a laugh as he jumped down from the roof, landing on all fours in front of her. He shifted back into his hume-like appearance with a squelching sound, and rested the fomalhaut on his shoulder, smirking widely.

"If you're an old man," she said, "then what does that make me? The dust that blinds fierce-some Oretoises?"

His smirk faltered and his shoulders slumped. "Still upset about that, are you? I'd thought seeing your precious beastie would have cleared the tension between us," he slowly answered. "Snow's all better, is he?"

"More or less, yeah. He's actually the one who forced me out of my home to come here." She sighed, running a gloved hand through her hair. "Apparently my brooding was offending them...Why'd you leave a Teleport Stone for me, anyway?

"Teleport Stone?" Balthier scratched his neck, his various earrings trinkling against each other like chimes. His said with a small laugh, "Light, I haven't been to Gran Pulse since Ragnarok named me his delivery man of all variants of roses."

"Snow said he saw you, though. And trust me; when he think he's seen a Balthier, he's right."

"I have a distinct species now, apparently," he drawled, nudging the dead body with his toe. She disturbingly noted how casual this situation seemed to be for him. "Tell Serah she needs to cure the oaf's obsession and impeccable fondness for me—er, the _other_ me."

"I'm not going back there, Balthier."

This notion appeared to have surprised him; his eyes widened very slightly when he met her gaze, but he understood. While she bent down to examine his handy work, pocketing whatever gold or valuables the dead man had, Balthier's attention seemed to drift elsewhere. He was staring at her almost hungrily, but when she stood back up, he stared off into the distance. At last, he broke free of his momentary haze and shook his head, sighing heavily.

"It's quite hard to distinguish my thoughts from your words, you know," he mumbled through tight lips. Lightning stared at him, both concerned and disturbed. Who was he talking to? "Yet I suppose I should be pleased that you're not trying to rip my soul from my body like those other ghosts once did."

"Balthier—?" Lightning waved a hand in front of his glazed eyes. "You really are mad, aren't you..."

He closed his eyes as if to banish whatever had been contacting him. "At times, I'm nearly as mad as the Hatter."

"All because you chose to be cursed. I didn't."

Balthier grinned, almost, when he opened his eyes and looked at her. "Your brooding is almost making me wish you would leave." Again, his silver-speckled eyes drifted to the side. "Oh, have it _your_ way, then. I won't force her to leave. I wasn't planning to, anyway. Does that sit well with you?"

"I think we should find Fran," Lightning said, and the mere mention of the viera made him perk up. "Does she know I'm here?"

"Of course she does. She knew you couldn't resist the thrilling life of a pirate much longer."

"Killing brute men in alleyways doesn't sound very appealing to me..."

He shrugged. "Those were my exact thoughts, long ago. Alas, everything has changed."

**

* * *

**

The _Strahl_ was drifting dreamily over the cliffs of the Tchita Uplands, partially invisible in the darkened night sky. Lightning climbed on board behind Balthier, a longing smile pinching her lips when she looked around the familiar scene. She could vaguely remember Mustadio excitably examining every inch of the ship, pestering Balthier with questions he didn't want to answer. Her smile faded, and she followed the sky pirate into the cockpit.

Fran, her long cream-colored hair flowing behind her, was sitting in the co-pilot's seat. One of her tall ears flicked in their direction, and then she turned around to greet Lightning. Unfortunately, it seemed like she was bitter toward the Eternal; Fran's crimson eyes narrowed for a moment before looking to her partner.

"You brought her with you?"

"I wasn't about to leave her standing helpless in this mad world alone," Balthier answered, looking partly guilty. "And I did propose she try sky pirating with us back when we met the first time..."

Lightning tried her best to smile at the viera, but the skeptical look she was receiving halted all attempts. Fran turned away, tilting her nose upward in a stubborn manner.

"We make for the Necrohol of Rabanastre, then."

When Balthier joined Fran at the helm, Lightning took the time to explore the ship. The cargo hold was filled with treasures from all around Ivalice, and she thought to have caught a glimpse of auracite tucked away in a leather bag. She made her way to the back of the ship through the narrow hallway, and eventually stumbled upon the room that was, in her time, Balthier's room.

Leaning against the wall as the Zodiac Spear, though it had been knocked aside as if it was just another object taking up space. Lightning skimmed through the number of books on a shelf, occasionally finding a subject she understood. Much to her surprise, she found a book entitled _Fabula Nova Crystallis_ that included the mythology of her world. She quickly looked for anything she could find on Etro and her Eternal soldiers, but much to her disappointment, there was nothing.

When she returned to the cockpit, Balthier brushed past her, looking extremely angry and upset over something. Lightning touched his arm, and he appeared to be calmed by her warm touch.

"Did you and Fran argue?" she asked.

Balthier had to think for a moment before answering. "She believes you've an ulterior motive for coming here, something other than wanting to see me."

"I'm not sure I understand; you're the one who invited me."

"So claimed the oaf who nearly got himself stomped to pieces in hopes of being rescued..."

"It couldn't have been anyone else. The other you wouldn't come back like that. He would have said something."

He winked at her as he walked past. "Oh, I'm sure he's done just that."

**

* * *

**

After a number of side-trips (a few bounty hunters had been inkling to get their hands on Balthier, but all were easily dispatched by Lightning's gunblade), they reached Rabanastre—or rather, all that was left. The city was covered with moss and Mist, half buried in the grimy sand and debris. Lightning was almost hesitant in going onward, fiddling with her auracite necklace.

"There's not much left, these days," Balthier said when he stood beside her. "But I suppose that's to be expected when you're a few centuries old."

"I avoided coming here," Lightning told him quietly, "even after the fall of the Royal family. It started when Rozarria moved against Archadia, and that was when...when Snow went to battle and was killed. Things were never the same after that. Ivalice changed, and so did I."

Something briefly distracted Balthier, and he muttered something on the lines of "stop your worrying" under his breath. When he collected himself, he looked to Lightning with an almost sympathetic expression. "I can't see you being any divergent than you are now. Not unless you had less of a liking in taking pleasure beating men to a pulp."

She managed to fake a laugh, but she was sure that he wasn't convinced. "Only when provoked."

As they ventured deeper into the Necrohol, the Mist grew thicker and thicker. Fran made a point of keeping a hand on Balthier's shoulder, no doubt making sure he didn't run off or get dragged away by a lovesick god. Lightning walked ahead of them, her curiosity getting the best of her with thoughts of seeing glimpses and hints of how things could have gone in the Ivalice she knew. Nothing seemed any different, though.

She must have wandered away from the sky pirates, because sometime after walking into the old throne room, Balthier and Fran were nowhere to be seen. Lightning sighed regretfully, slumping down into one of the tall chairs and crossing her legs. She waited and waited, getting more impatient as time trudged on. With her luck, the other two might have gotten whisked away to another world on accident. However, when she was about to get up, Balthier came across her annoyed form.

"Do you have a habit or disappearing," he said, "or have I gotten blind over the years?"

"Both," Lightning said tightly. "Where's Fran?"

"The Mist was proving to be a bit much for her, so she's on her way to the _Strahl_. We should be returning as well, lest we want the ghosts to haunt our damned souls again."

She pursed her lips, standing up from the throne. "All the ghosts that used to haunt me are long gone. My old allies tried to coax me into avoiding the gods at all costs, fearing I'd become their pawn. Everyone was there, except...him." She touched her auracite necklace gingerly. "He had already moved on by then, waiting for me to join him. I wouldn't be too surprised if he's given up on me."

"He hasn't," Balthier urgently said. Lightning gave him a quizzical look. "Your man may have found...other ways to see you and other people to haunt."

"Pardon?"

"Never you mind; just a slip of the tongue, that's all." Balthier made to leave, feigning tiredness by yawning. "Come, Fran must be impatient by now, and I'd rather not suffer the dire consequences of leaving her alone for a long period of time again."

He was halfway across the room when she spoke up. "Balthier, wait." When he turned around, clearly confused and only slightly concerned, she took a few steps forward. "I know you have the general idea of how it feels to live forever, but...After leaving Mustadio and going back to Pulse, only to be forced away by my friends, I've come to realize that there's nothing left for me. There's no reason for me to continue living this life I never even wanted."

Balthier, though wary, was still silent. And so she pressed further.

"I've tried for many years to kill myself, but all attempts were failures. It's only now that I've discovered my escape..." She bit her lip. "And I need you to do me a favor."

"And that, being...?"

"Eternal can only be killed by their own kind. When I killed Feolthanos years ago, I lost my one chance at death. But then I met _you_." She moved close to him, placing her hand directly over the medallion in his chest. He visibly flinched. "Just one thing, that's all I ask. _Kill me_."

"No," he said instantly. "Light, I can't—"

"I can't live with myself anymore! Please, just do this for me...You're the only one who can save me."

"Light, I am not who you think I am, nor am I like you. This curse," he gestured toward the medallion, "was by my own will; not the gods'."

She looked down at the medallion barely protruding from beneath his blouse. Slowly, she moved her hands across it, almost caressing it tenderly. "No, you have to be like me..."

Balthier's eyes darted from her face to her hands, suddenly fearful of something she couldn't comprehend. When she tried to say something, his face contorted into a vicious snarl and his hands found their way around her pale neck. Out of instinct Lightning hastily drew away, avoiding his silver gaze and moving against the wall. Balthier was too fast for her—he seized her by the shoulders and forced her to the floor, tightening his grip as he bent down to bite at her neck.

Suddenly terrified, Lightning struggled beneath him and reached upward hopelessly, grabbing a lock of his hair and pulling his head back. She slammed her knee into his chest, knocking the wind out of him, and quickly unsheathed her gunblade. Barely crying out, she thrust the blade into his stomach and pushed him against the wall, grimacing when the black, sticky blood oozed onto her hands.

But that didn't stop him—no, he had lost control of himself for whatever reason. So easily did he pull the gunblade out, and so carelessly did he toss it aside. Lightning had no time to run away to warn Fran, and Balthier had pinned her against the wall before she could say "stop".

"Balthier—" she choked out, his hand clenched around her neck again. "Balthier, _please_..."

A sharp pain twisted her shoulder when he bit her, tearing the neck of her shirt and the skin of her shoulder clear off her body. Her blood was red, so very red and unlike his own. Lightning desperately pleaded to him again, trying to pull him out of whatever Mist and Madness-induced rage he was in. But he couldn't hear her, for his darker side had claimed him.

She should have been dead by then; her blood was seeping down her arm, chest and through her uniform. Regretfully, she jabbed her elbow against his eye socket and collapsed to the floor, groping the floor for her gunblade. This wasn't what she wanted! She didn't want him to become a monster, never like this! Balthier lunged for her again, but something stopped him in his place.

He was glaring at the empty space between him and Lightning as if someone was there. Lightning, as she tugged at the front of her shirt to cover the scarred bullet wound on her chest, could faintly make out a figure standing over her and protecting her. In fact, she could have sworn it was _him_. But, no, that wasn't possible...Was it?

An arrow whizzed past Balthier's nose, and Fran gracefully and quickly wrapped her arms around her partner's torso, murmuring to him in vieran. "Peace, my partner," she purred. "She means no harm."

Balthier snarled at her, so inhuman and beastly. His silver eyes flickered between Lightning and the empty space, and slowly he calmed down. However, when Lightning stood and moved close to him, he snapped at her, sharp teeth gleaming with the Mist.

"_Go_," he rasped, struggling against Fran's hold of him. "_Get out of my sight!_"

"Balthier, I'm sorr—" she started to say, but he growled once again.

"_Stay away from me!_"

Lightning choked out a sob, grabbing her gunblade and fleeing from the throne room. The faint figure was guiding her out, a warm hand pulling at her own and soothing her. When she reached the blazing sun's light, the figure faded away and left her alone. But she still ran, and didn't stop running until the echoes of Balthier's cruel voice no longer existed in her ears.

**

* * *

**

The Gladados Ruins welcomed her like a lost child, pulling her in and holding her close in a comforting embrace. She wandered the halls almost mindlessly, empty eyes searching for the one place she belonged. At last, she stumbled upon the altar where the auracite of Feolthanos once lay. Lightning stroked the stone almost lovingly, and she sat down on the floor, leaning against it and closing her eyes.

All she could do was wait.


	8. Mating game

**Title:** _Balthier/Female!Ragnarok; or rather, Mating game_**  
Story:** _Bad Bromance_**  
Author's Note:**_ Yes, the long awaited Female!Ragnarok drabble is here! My dearest Brain Buddy, Mu, has been wondering what Ragnarok's actual gender is. In the video game, Ragnarok's got two genders; female in incomplete form, but male in complete form. This confused her, and me as well, but we suddenly realized how hilarious and interesting it would be to write something where Ragnarok was female. What would Balthier do, you ask? Also, this is actually canon to my storyline; it leads right up to _**Bad Bromance**. _I wrote it in present tense in the first part, just to be different._

* * *

_Oh, gods damn it all._

Balthier stumbles out of the White Cap tavern, clutching the three-quarter empty bottle of finely brewed Bhujerban madhu with an already loose grip. He can scarcely make out of crevasse of every shop and apartment, let alone where his wobbling feet are leading him. The night sky is glittering, from what he can see, but there are no sounds dampening the rowdy and wild madness back in the tavern. Groaning from the sudden wave of nausea, Balthier regrets leaving Fran and the _Strahl_ in the first place.

How did all of this happen so quickly? He has no clue, of course, but the sooner he gets back to his ship and rests up, the better. Just as long as no wenches spot him, everything would turn out all right. Or, so he hopes. Balfonheim always has those wenches with...intriguing tactics of persuasion that Balthier has yet to master in his own way. He has yet to fall for any of their tricks, and didn't plan to anytime soon.

He leans against the railing, looking out at the vast and spacious waters. _What's out there?_ he wonders, resting his chin against the cool metal and blinking very, very slowly. What harm could it do if he were to simply fling himself into the ocean and cast his soul into its depths? Not that he has a soul, of course. He lost it long ago...to a god, of all things.

"_Are you alone?_"

Balthier turns, drooped eyes looking upon a woman he hasn't seen before, at least not in these parts. Dark hair, dark crimson eyes and a tawny complexion. She's not wearing much, granted, and the strings of her corset look fairly loose. She vaguely reminds him of Fang, only less _out there_. Yes, she's not from these parts. He stands up, sways slightly and then braces himself on the railing. Next time he'll have to hold off on the madhu, especially if women were vying to steal him away. He could see it in her eyes: desire, lust, longing...

Very, very tempting.

He's afraid to speak to her, knowing all too well that the bile rising in his throat would soon spill out. Yet something about her— something very strange— makes him want to tremble and quake in fear.

"Yes," he barely manages to slur. "I'm alone." Then he pauses, eying her slender form cautiously and almost desirably. "For the time being..." he slowly adds.

"_I see_," she says in a near whisper. Her lips aren't moving, or perhaps it's merely the madhu affecting his eyes. "_Then I, too, am alone._"

"Not so much, we're in each other's presence." A sluggish grin moves about his wet lips. "That must count for something, at the most. After all, t'is dangerous to wander these parts alone in the dead of night." So that's only partially true, but this woman looks rather dangerous herself. Balthier can't help but step closer. "What say you? Shall we depart this damned town?"

She frowns. "_You think me damned?_"

_Damn it_. Fran's told him often that he unintentionally offends women when intoxicated. But Balthier waves it off and gives her a lopsided smile. "Aren't we all?"

"_You, perhaps. Your eyes tell a story; a tragedy. Have you lost someone?_"

The first name that comes to mind is, surprisingly, Snow. That confident, overly emotional hero had definitely let his mark in Balthier's life. After all, he had been the one to stay with him until the end. Of course, his thoughts quickly fly to Lightning. Her necklace is currently hidden behind some books on the _Strahl_. Fran would ask him about it every time she found him holding it in his hands during the night. Lightning never leaves his mind, or his closed heart.

"A few come to mind," Balthier says gently. "But what's done is done."

The woman holds out her hand, and without even thinking, Balthier takes it. The next thing he knows, her lips are on his, and she's leading him into a dark alley. A rush of warmth spreads through his body and he draws her closer, running his hands though her soft but tangled hair. She smiles when they part, her eyes almost glistening in the moon light. But there is something strange, still, with her appearance. But he doesn't care. He's too busy pulling her toward his body to notice anything out of the ordinary.

That is, until he discovers she has a tail.

It whips around him, drawing him so close that their noses nearly touch. Well, not that she has much of a nose anymore. Her hair is a orange and red mane, and the coils of her skin are a dark gray hue. Balthier tries to step back, but the creature leers at him and brushes her tongue against his cheek. Her mouth trails down to his neck, and suddenly she's biting him, ripping into his skin and—

* * *

Balthier shot up from his bed, panting heavily and looking all around. His hands immediately jumped to his neck: _no marks or anything_, he noted carefully. Fran peered in through the doorway, staring at him with both confusion and annoyance.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, white brows furrowed. "You were mumbling again."

He shook his head. "No, no. Just a dream, thank the gods."

She wasn't convinced, judging by the look in her eyes. "We've almost reached Rabanastre. If you are not feeling well enough to venture through the palace tonight— "

"A distraction is just what I need right now. I've a feeling this is a night I'll never forget."


	9. EC: We are all illuminated

**Title:** _Part Five of Mu and Tango Crossover; or rather, We are all illuminated_**  
Story:** _Eternally Cursed_**  
Author's Note:** _So! This crossover series now has an official title: __**Eternally Cursed**__! The "eternal" part goes with Lightning, while the "cursed" part goes with Balthier. Well, the whole thing applies to them both, of course, as they're both cursed with immortality. I like being creative with titles. Anywhoo, thank you to Mu, for once again writing something that managed to freak me out. :D_

_I did say this would be up yesterday...but then things came up, and I had to delay this. At least it's not another 1:00 am update? This was a lot of rambling...o_o There's a few references to other characters, which some are actually quite funny. :D_

* * *

_"Really, now. Wot makes yeh think she's 'ere?"_

Lightning's eyes flickered open to the sound of voices arguing amongst each other. She was laying atop the altar where Feolthanos' auracite once gleamed, her eyes drifting down to the spot on the floor where many years before in the other world, Balthier died. That was where she held him as he breathed his last breath and apologized for cursing her. But she didn't blame him—no, never him. Lindzei had killed her, and out of pity for one of her 'daughters', Etro brought her back to life. Lightning didn't blame Etro either, for the goddess was still watching over her. Without Etro's protection, she would have become just like that monster who wore her Balthier's face.

She had known many monsters in her life. Ragnarok, though he turned out to be a respectable, though highly proud man; Ultima, though she was her dearest sister, Serah; Feolthanos, her long dead fellow Eternal; and, of course, there were the monsters in her dreams. But she didn't want to believe that someone so good could become a mad man vying to destroy his closest friend.

And then there was him: the Balthier who, like her, had been cursed with immortality. But he was not as he seemed. He was truly a monster, a creature so damned that he devoured blood greedily and without care.

Lightning sat up, running a hand across her shoulder. The wound dealt by another immortal being left her scarred, much like the bullet hole in her chest from Lindzei. Her l'Cie brand, thankfully, was gone. Though she would have preferred eternal life as a crystal rather than an undying human.

"The Phoenix is said to be wandering these halls, looking for her long lost love," said the voice a distance away. Someone was laughing. "The Church wants her for questioning; said she's in league with the fell angel Ultima."

The name stung Lightning's cold heart. Already she was being condemned to bear witness to Ultima's return. In a few more centuries, would she relive that time? Would she, once more, be forced to play puppet to her sister's jealousy? Would she pay for Snow's faults? But if that were to happen again, Ultima would fail and Etro would grant Lightning a chance at rest. This time, she would gladly take it.

"Bah, the Phoenix is a myth. Only a mad man would go lookin' for 'er. But that undead bounty 'unter: 'e's somethin' else."

"He'll fall for our trap, he will."

Undead bounty hunter? Surely they didn't mean...Balthier? Lightning resisted the urge to scoff—so he was calling himself a bounty hunter again. The tale of his rise from the dead was as famous as her title of Phoenix. The men who came from her head were all skeptics, but as soon as she cut them down, they were full on believers. Shame most left without a limb or two.

But these men were after Balthier, and she was the bait. Even though he attacked her (though she asked for it), she knew there was at least an inhibition of humanity left in his maddened mind. Yet Lightning would not deny she was afraid of him. Seeing him only reminded her of her Balthier, of the man she vied to save but lost in an instant to Etro's will. He never would have hurt her, even if he was once a monster, too, long ago.

She slid through the hall, climbing up an array of protruding rocks to get a better view of her visitors. The bounty hunters had vanished behind the wall, though she could still hear their boastful voices. No matter; they would not catch their prey, not while she was around.

And then she heard it—a voice calling for her.

"Light? Those posters said you'd be here, so you can come out now! It's all right, I'm not mad at you or anything. Well, slightly, but we can talk it out, right?"

Lightning sunk down behind the rocks, fingers tight around her necklace. Another bad dream, this was. Mustadio wasn't supposed to be alive yet, not for another few centuries or so. Unless...unless he found some way to track her down. Then that would mean he was in league with that monster, and if Mustadio ever made him angry—

She sped after the machinist's voice and kept running down the hall, turning a corner whenever something blocked her path. Her mind was racing—she had to warn Mustadio and send him back home where he belonged. He wasn't supposed to be in this world, not when there was a monster preying on the lives of humes at night. She wasn't meant to live here, either, but she was a fool and begged for death when it was damn near impossible.

In her moment of exhilaration, she lost track of where she was going and clumsily collided with another hume. They tumbled to the floor, though the man was quick to regain composure and looked at her. Lightning saw the silver eyes and took off out of fear, the feeling of his fangs ripping through her skin overcoming all of her nerves.

"Wait!" Balthier called, presumably running after her. But she knew pathways he wouldn't be able to find, even if his senses were heightened higher than that of normal humes.

Lightning crouched down behind a thick wall, listening to Balthier's footsteps retreated to somewhere she didn't care to know. Why was he here, of all places? Her life—he didn't get it last time, so now he was after it again. If Balthier stumbled upon Mustadio, then the machinist was in danger of being killed.

Something urged her to get moving, and so Lightning was on the move again, wary of the monster but fearful for Mustadio. She managed to find the headhunters again, though they appeared to have caught their bounty. Balthier was lying in a heap on the floor, dripping with water that stung Lightning's nose. _Holy water_, she noted, pinching her nose as she peered over the edge of the wall.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the bounty hunter who rose from the dead. He fell right into our trap!" barked a foul looking man. "What a pretty penny we'll make tonight. You'll stand trial, ser, no doubt about it, and then—"

"_Crunch_!" laughed a bangaa. "An' this time, you'll stay in the ground!"

Balthier looked as if he was unresponsive to their jests, but she figured the Holy water had dulled his ability to resist. A third bounty hunter joined the fray, this time dragging a struggling young man, who was cursing at his captor.

"Ser, we've got his accomplice," the headhunter said, grinning toothily.

Eyes wide, Lightning leaned forward. "Mustadio," she breathed. No longer was he the lanky boy who both idolized and, seemingly, cared for her. He looked more like her Balthier than ever before; he even had the same quirked eyebrows.

"I'm not his associate!" Mustadio snarled. "I am no heretic! Let me go!"

The headhunter slammed his hilt of his sword against Mustadio's head, knocking him out. Balthier and Mustadio were away, though the foulest looking bounty hunter stayed behind, looking around the ruins. He looked in the direction of Lightning's safe haven, and slowly inched closer to it. Lightning jumped down and tackled the man, earning the attention of his crew and causing the man to yelp in surprise.

Her hands were around his throat instantly, but something was burning her fingers. She drew away, hissing at the pain, and began casting a small dark magick spell to heal herself. The man was quick; something penetrated her gut and pinned her to the wall. When he looked at her directly, Lightning spat in his face.

"Three heretics instead of one," he snickered, wiping his nose. "Rum luck, I say. Won't the Church be glad: a heretic, the Godless Thief and the Phoenix are finally caught like little rats after some scraps. Take them away!"

* * *

She was taken somewhere separate from Balthier and Mustadio. She was not bound like they were, in fact she was able to walk freely around the cell they placed her in. Pacing around the small space, Lightning went through countless plans of escape, but none seemed successful. Mustadio was in danger, especially if he was put in the same room as Balthier. If many days passed, and Balthier got hungry...

No, she wouldn't think about that.

There was a tanned man wearing a hood sitting outside her door, reading what looked to be a bible. Lightning leaned against the barred door and crossed her arms, staring at the man in hopes of getting his attention. She'd lost the will to speak long ago.

"Your impatience is a sin," the man said dryly. "If you continue to stare at me in such a vexatious manner, I'll have you hanged."

_Been there, done that_, she wanted to say, but instead remained silent.

"I am saddened, however, that you do not recognize me after all these years, Lightning Farron." The man turned, and his piercing red eyes startled her. It was Lindzei, the Trickster god who killed her years ago! "Then again, the last time we spoke wasn't the best of times, and in your eyes, t'was the worst of times. That hume woman was foolish, granted, though she got the job done."

"Why," Lightning spat hoarsely, "are you here? I thought Ragnarok had you under control."

Lindzei shrugged. "Of course he does, that's why I am here. You see, Farron, Ragnarok's quite worried about you. His vessel has told him many, many things about your recent behavior."

"Vessel?"

"Foolish girl, are you _daft_? That man who held you as you died—what was his name? Ah, yes. Ffamran." Lindzei closed the book. "You thought him to have passed on, but Ffamran is very much alive. Well, not so. That mad one wearing his face is the only reason Ffamran's able to walk this land. Nonetheless, he's been in contact with Ragnarok, and naturally neither of them were happy to know you tried killing yourself in such a vulgar way. Ragnarok sent me here, to this realm, in hopes of convincing you to live your life once more."

"Why didn't he come here himself?"

"Etro is stubborn, that witch. Allowing Ragnarok to visit this realm would be like putting two wild beasts in a cage together. She believes he would have slaughtered the mad one for daring to harm you. Ffamran agreed that my coming here was the best."

Lightning moved closer to the door, hands clutching the bars. "You're just spouting more lies, aren't you? You convinced me that Balthier and Ragnarok were going to destroy Pulse, and I believed you. And where did that get me? I died because of you, Lindzei. You shot me."

"It's been over ten centuries, Farron, haven't you learned how to move on with your life?"

"Tell Etro she can keep eternity to herself, then. I didn't want this cursed life."

The god frowned. "Why not? Eternity may belong to the gods, but you have been given this gift! Why so cruel, Farron? Has your soul become too lost to find?"

"The only reason I've managed to stay sane...is because I've held onto my humanity and all those memories of my past." She cast her eyes downward. "If I were to lose them, I'd end up like Balthier."

Lindzei tapped a finger on his chin, thinking deeply. "Ragnarok thought you'd say that. Since this is the case, I see no reason of being here. I believe Ffamran can convince you to live. If not, then let the Madness take your soul."

He disappeared with a sharp _pop_! and left Lightning in the shadows. Not long after, the bounty hunters returned and took her away. Where?—it did not matter.

* * *

Why was it that all headhunters had no idea how to handle women?

Their hands were rough as they pushed her down the hall, sharp nails digging into the cloth of her trench coat and odoriferous breath burning her nose. She constantly attempted to shift away from them, but each time one would laugh and try to grab at her. For a mere second, she wished she could bite them and kill them right then and there. But that wasn't the right thing to do, even if they were after her head.

A door slammed open and they shoved her inside another cell, though this time it was slightly roomier. The floor was hard and cold, as expected, but Lightning was completely fine with laying there until it was her time to go to the Court. However, someone was pulling her up.

"Light, how did you get here?" Mustadio asked as he helped her sit against the wall. She couldn't stand looking him in the eyes; he was starting to look so much like his ancestor.

"They captured me, what else?" she murmured, voice still dry. "I was trying to help you."

He pushed a chipped mug into her hands and she drank the murky water greedily. Two years of absolute silence had taken their toll, although it was nothing compared to her thousand year exile. Another body in the room shifted, sitting atop a bed and covered with bandages. Lightning visibly flinched when she met Balthier's silver eyes.

"I daresay that didn't go very well," he said tiredly. He must have seen her hesitance with being in the same room as him, and he frowned. "Light...I understand that you are afraid of me, and that our parting words last time were rather harsh, but...there are things that have happened that you don't understand."

"You're mad," she hissed. "That's all I need to know."

Before Balthier even had the chance to retaliate, Mustadio moved in his way. He was holding onto her shoulder, trying to give some semblance of comfort, but Lightning knew how furious he was with her. "Light," he whispered, but when she looked away, his voice grew louder. "Why did you leave me? I thought—I thought we were _happy_ together..."

"We were, that's why I had to leave. I am an Eternal, Mustadio; even if I were to love again, all those I love would wither and pass away. I didn't want to see that like before; not with you."

"Do you have _any_ idea what I went through? I believed something was wrong with me! Ramza looked as if he were going to kill me when he found out you left! And what about Alma and Agrias? Cid? Mydia? Did you think about them? They were your friends!"

She wanted to answer him, honestly, but the door crashed open and they were all soon dragged out of the cell and before the Court. Minutes passed, but Balthier wouldn't admit to anything. Not truthfully, at least. The entire time Judge Alar was questioning him, he wore a facade of confidence and pride, though Lightning could see right through him. Something was bothering him, something she couldn't understand. Lindzei had called him mad—was it really true?

Since Balthier refused to answer questions during his interrogation, the Court sent him away. Mustadio was next, and judging by how they called him an outsider, the Church knew he didn't belong in this world. It was like back on Cocoon, where Rosch called Balthier an outsider that sought to destroy the world. _Nothing but the outsider._ Lightning reluctantly kept a hand on Mustadio's shoulder as Alar interrogated him, fearing that the truth of their world traveling would be discovered. But like Balthier, Mustadio was stubborn.

And so it was her turn next. She stood close to the stand, staring at Judge Alar with a blank but stern expression. He wasn't affected by her clear resentment, sadly.

"You are a dangerous woman, Lady Claire," Alar spoke after looking through her charges. "Strange, there is no family name here. Tell me: what house do you hail from?"

"I can't say," she stated quietly.

His lip curled. "That is not the answer I wish to hear."

"Do you ever get tired of saying that? With all these heretics you've got lined up, they must all ignore you, too. Especially since you're so—"

"_Answer. The question._"

"My last name is—" She had to think quickly, so she said the first name that came to mind. "—Villiers. My family name is Villiers."

He looked over a scroll the silver haired man to his left handed him. "There is no record of that name."

_Of course there wouldn't; not in this world._ "My family avoided the clutches of any sort of government or religion. A family of rebels, we are. Or..._were_, in all technicality. I'm the last one left. I did have a brother, though—not the smartest man ever, and I think he may have been slightly interested in men—"

"You ramble far too much, Lady Claire _Villiers_," the silver haired man beside Alar said tightly. "If that is truly your name. I believe you are lying."

"Not completely, no. Snow really was strange; always had an obsession with Balth—" She stopped, looking down slightly. "My apologies. You can continue now."

"I think we have heard enough," Alar said.

* * *

She returned to the cell after hearing that Balthier would be questioned tomorrow, which would result in the decision of Mustadio's fate. He was the only one of them that wasn't immortal, and Alar thought the idea of the young man's death would force Balthier to admit his crimes. The Church seemed to believe that he and Lightning were in league with Ultima. The way the silver haired man looked at her the entire time made her wonder: did they know of what happened in the other world?

Lightning stopped in place when she spotted Balthier's weakened form lying on the bed, Mustadio sitting close beside him. Something was wrong.

"He's not faring so well," Mustadio explained in a shaky voice. "He looks...really ill. I'm not sure what's wrong with him."

She knelt down beside Balthier, slowly reaching over and touching his face. The pleasantly warm feeling entranced her fingers as she ran her hand through his graying hair. "I'm...I'm sure he'll be all right," she said. "We'll get out of here, and then Fran can fix him right up."

But she wasn't too certain of that as the hours went on, and soon the sky became night once more. Balthier's health was faltering and there was nothing they could do. Lightning sat in the corner of the room, Mustadio asleep on the floor to her right, and she kept her eyes glued to Balthier's ill form. She couldn't sleep, not when the monster could wake up and seek Mustadio as its prey.

Someone was sitting on her other side, resting their hand on hers. Lightning turned, squinting to focus on the blurry and hazed figure. Was it—?

"_He wants you to understand, Light_. _Let me show you._"

The next thing she knew, she was wandering in a strange, sideways city that looked very much like Archades. The buildings were the ground, and the ground was the wall blocking her path. The sky, questionably glowing with light, looked very much like water. Lightning kept walking, looking around as if to find some escape. But for some reason, it felt like this void had no escape. She was trapped.

At last she found a wall pouring with water. Balthier was standing behind it, his image distorted by the shimmering liquid, and he beckoned her to speak with him, smiling at her.

"Why are you here?" she asked, voice trembling. "What is this place?"

"I was trapped here by the Madness," Balthier told her solemnly. "You know I would never want to hurt you, Light—I would never _dream_ of it, but _it_ would..."

Madness; Lindzei had spoke of it, hadn't he? "You mean...the person who attacked me, back in Rabanastre, wasn't you? I didn't want to believe it, of course, but I—" she swallowed hard. "I was frightened."

"No, it was the Madness. He drove me to it, and always has. How I wish the beast would leave me be—I never wanted this. I never wanted any of it, but the curse..." Balthier's shoulders trembled. Lightning wondered if he was crying.

"The curse brought it on."

"Yes. I wish—I wish I could leave this place. I _can_ leave, but I will need your help. You can do this, Light, you must believe me, and you must trust me. Do not fear, for I have no designs that would bring you harm."

This all felt so familiar. It was like the time Ragnarok, disguised as her Balthier, tried to steal away her memories of the past. She almost let him, too, but...Hadn't someone stopped her? She remembered: Snow had warned her of the beast wearing her love's face, vying to steal her away from the living.

Yes—this was all too familiar.

"What would I have to do?" Lightning asked in a tense tone.

"It is not safe here," Balthier continued. "The Madness could return any moment, and if he finds you here...he could eat you, you know. You aren't actually here—your soul is. And if he ate _that_..."

Realization dawned on her. "I would die," she whispered. That was what she had been waiting for, but Lindzei had said she needed to live on. For whom, though?

Balthier held out his hand. "Come with me—the other side of the wall is safe, I think."

_Safe_. With _Balthier_. Lightning had dreamed of that sort of live since meeting the sky pirate in the Pulse Vestige, years ago. With him, life would be difficult, but so very _right_. She belonged with him in the skies, where there was no monsters, no madness, just him. She let her hand rise a little, reaching for Balthier's own. Together—

Suddenly she was hauled away from the wall of water, and suddenly she began to realize...the one she longed for was dead. He would never come back, no matter what lies Lindzei spewed at her. Lightning bit back her screams and turned to look at the one holding onto her. A boy? No, he looked so very familiar.

The one behind the water no longer wore beguiling smile; an ugly face twisted into a rapacious sneer. "Meddling as usual, I see, Ffamran."

"Of course," the child Balthier said with a small grin. "Don't touch him, Light. If you do, you will become as I—believe it or not, madness is contagious. He must not touch your soul."

"Balthier? If you're here, who's that?" Lightning asked, lost for words.

"Oh, shut it. You hardly know what you're on about." The Madness slithered through the wall, his body contorting with each brush of blackened water. "You've ruined the game, Ffamran. I am _hungry_. You've not been eating lately, and I can feel it."

Now she understood; Balthier had looked so ill and meager because he was holding back, because Mustadio was there. He didn't want to hurt anyone. Lightning felt Balthier grab her hand as the Madness' true form charged toward them. A sphinx like form: a human face, body of a majestic but terrifying lion, and was that a serpent for a tail? But its face—Balthier's face—frightened her the most. It was almost like her dreams, where she was fooled into thinking she could be happy.

They were running now, running from the monster and not the man. The Madness was laughing. "Ha ha...ha ha ha! Wine or ale? Your blood or your soul? To eat, or not to eat? Shall I cut off your head and drink from the pool, or fill you full of holes? So many decisions, I cannot decide! Is she sweet, or is she bitter, filled with love or...sorrow?"

Lightning didn't want to let go of Balthier's hand, though he was much shorter than she. In a blur, the Madness was poised in front of them, lips oozing with drool.

"You're a bitter old woman, Lightning Farron! You left your little boy behind, left him to wither and weep. Bitter and believing there's nothing left, you're done! Finished! Curtain call! _Ffamran! Play your violin! I want to dance to the music of her falling blood!_"

Balthier's hand had slipped from her grasp, and he was now on his knees, screaming. Lightning tried to reach for him, but she couldn't. The Madness was right: her time was done, wasn't it?

"I want to rip the world down and fill it with the sweet sound of our music," the Madness pined. "And you will help me, Lightning Farron. You're a lost soul searching to fill your empty heart, and I—I can fill it for you!"

"_Lightning! Lightning, listen to me! That isn't the one you're looking for, that's not Balthier!_" This was— "_Light, don't let him fool you. Those memories are still there, but you can't let them go. Someday you'll remember him, and when that happens, I'll bring him back to you._" —just like before— "_Tell Serah that I'm sorry! I'll be back home to her soon! I promise, Light_—"

"No! You're wrong!" Lightning cried out in an echo. The path was illuminated before her eyes; this was where she would go. "I won't listen to your lies. I have everything I ever wanted and more. You're the lost soul here!"

The Madness was gone, vanishing into the void, and she fell to her knees beside Balthier. He cracked a weak smirk, trembling still.

"Talking to empty space?" he asked. "People will start to think you're going mad."

"Like you're one to talk..." She sighed, looking up. "You're all right now?"

"Everything seems to be in working order. But, tell me of what happened after they took me back. Did Alar come to a decision?"

She tried to remember. "That judge seems to think that _everyone's_ a heretic, evidence or no evidence. He wants to question you again, and that will decide...if Mustadio will live, or die. That judge is pretentious, but he's not stupid. He saw the resemblance between you two right away. Depending on your answers to his questions tomorrow, he will to choose to save you, or condemn you."

"The truth, or lies? What would you have me do?" Balthier looked at her, and despite his young appearance, he was almost so tired he looked old.

Lightning reached for his hand and took it. "The right thing."

"Right or wrong is relative, my dear. Who decides good and bad?"

Again, something was definitely off with him. "Are you all right, Balthier?"

Balthier didn't answer straight away. "My blood is black," he murmured, sounding dead. "What is the 'right thing'? Mm...to eat or not to eat. Don't worry, Light. I will do what is best for all of us."

He was walking away now, though she wasn't sure if she would follow. "You're mad," a whisper escaped her parted lips.

"Don't I know it? Now, are you going to come? I shall have to have some words with myself about inviting people into my own mind—my _other_ self, that is. Confusing, isn't it? The fool of a hero has rubbed off on me."

Somewhere, in a distant place, Lightning wondered if Snow was laughing.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, Mustadio was in a panic. Both her and Balthier had been unresponsive for some time, and since he was hardly used to dealing with the undead, he came to think that they truly _were_ dead. Lightning told him there was nothing to worry about and quickly gathered up the mug of blood sitting beside the door on a tray. She held it against Balthier's lips as she propped him up.

"You're certain that's going to help him? Mustadio asked from where he was at the other side of the room. "He looks terrible, like he's a hundred years old."

"Not eating will do that to you," Lightning said. "I'm somewhat glad I don't have to deal with this. But trust me, it's better he drinks this than if he nibbled on you."

Balthier opened his eyes after drinking the blood. "Light?" he spluttered. "What are you—"

"Hush. They are coming soon. I'm putting my trust in you, Balthier."

"You really shouldn't. I betrayed a little girl once. You know what is in there, Light. The ghost of your man dragged you in to see." He touched a shivering hand to the medallion in his chest. "How can you trust me when _that_ can arise without warning? In my present condition, is this wise?"

She couldn't help but smile at his uneasiness and brushed the hair away from his eyes. "I'm willing to take the risk," she said and then paused, a thought coming to her. "What do you mean, 'the ghost of my man'?"

"Exactly what I said."

A warm, comforting presence materialized in the cell as soon as he spoke, and Lightning turned around as if to see if something was there. Nothing, of course, but she wondered if Lindzei _had_ been telling the truth. He said her Balthier was still somewhat alive, just tied to the soul of another.

* * *

"Balthier Bunansa, your child's life hangs in the balance." Lightning could not help but chuckle at Alar's words, and Balthier sent her a warning glance and a step on her foot to quiet her. "Are you in the employ of the demon Ultima? You must do the right thing."

"My blood is black," the sky pirate said ever so quietly.

"I cannot hear you."

"My blood is black!" Balthier was shouting, and he wasn't the only one, despite Lightning's fears. "Who determines right or wrong? The truth was lost long ago, since the age of the Dynast Queen. Right and wrong is determined by people in positions of high authority, who immediately put their enemies in the wrong, and they themselves are in the right—and the populace is forced to follow like pigs to the slaughter. I cannot tell right from wrong because I recognize no authority and state it is relative to the party—does that make me evil?"

The bailiff was taken aback. "Ser, he is clearly not in this right mind—"

"My name is Balthier Bunansa, Godless Thief am I, for all my gods are dead and I am all that remains of their faded power. My blood is black and the world will burn for creating the monster that I am!" He was laughing hysterically now. "I am a heretic!"

Alar, over the murmur of the judges, spoke with greed leaking in his voice. "So you admit it!"

"Freely! A weight has been removed from my chest at the admission, too!"

"Will you tell us the names of other heretics? Your confessions will aid you on your path to cleansing and creating for you a pure soul. When Ultima comes to you, do you see anyone else with her?"

Lightning glanced warningly at Balthier, but he couldn't see her anymore. He would lie, of course, but he knew of the truth, of the demon she once became to save her sister. Ultima was Serah, perhaps even in this world, too.

"Yes," Balthier gasped; the Madness was clearly enjoying the situation. "I see many, many people."

"Who? _Confess_, man!"

"I saw Judge Alar with Lady Ultima! I saw the High Cleric of Orbonne with Lady Ultima!" Both Alar and another man rose, barking that he was lying, but Balthier did not stop there and Lightning gripped tighter onto his wrist, fearing he would admit her faults. "_I saw Ajora of Glabados with Lady Ultima!_"

The man with silver hair, who seemed to know of Lightning's past encounters with Ultima, stood in a fit of rage. "Seize him! Shut him up! _Shut him up!_"

The Court was like a storm amidst the calm. The judges were shouting at one another, Mustadio was trying to look brave but still whimpered, and Balthier—or was it the Madness?—was still roaring with laughter. Lightning clung to him, trying to snap him out of his flood of insanity, but it was as if she wasn't even there. That is, until the _Strahl_ came into view, its anchor crumbling the ceiling. Balthier turned to her as he grabbed the chain, smirking ear-to-ear and looking so inhuman.

"I told you I would do the right thing," he said. "I told you I could fill your empty heart."

Lightning followed him, shaking her head and biting her tongue. _No—not you_.

* * *

The moment the _Strahl_ landed in the sandy beach once called the Phon Coast, Lightning grabbed Balthier by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to the ocean, where she proceeded to hold him beneath the water until he calmed down. Though, it didn't help her much when she looked around the area. This place was the same place she was reunited with her Balthier after leaving Pulse, after becoming an Eternal. She held back the urge to grieve for him, and pulled the skeletal pirate out from the sea.

When they returned to the ship, Mustadio nearly shot Balthier after seeing his true form. Lightning reassured him that though he looked dangerous, Balthier wouldn't do anything to harm them right now. From where she stood by the fire, Fran was smiling in amusement. She then tended to Mustadio's wounds, much to his embarrassment, while Lightning purposely sat between him and Balthier.

"Why did you come back, Mustadio, other than to harangue me?" she asked.

"I wanted to see you again," he answered stubbornly. "I didn't want to believe that you might not have wanted to be with me anymore."

She smiled weakly. "Spoken like a child."

"I _was_ a child when you left, Light! How long has it been? A year, two, three? I've grown up! I know that to you, Balthier and Fran, I will never be old enough to be considered an adult, but human lives are short. I could be an old geezer by the time you understand me."

Balthier shifted his shoulders. "Don't get me involved," he murmured, fidgeting with his cuffs. "After all, I was the one who said to enjoy your time with him. And then you left right afterward." Lightning slapped his hand away from ruining his sleeves any longer, sinking back into an old habit of hers. Behind her, she could have sworn someone was chuckling.

"The sun will rise soon, and with the sun, the hunt for us will be on," Fran stated almost too calmly. "What will we do?"

"We distract them. If we throw them off the scent, Lightning will have her time with her little boy."

"So you're going to leave?" Mustadio asked, surprised. "So soon?"

"I do as I must; it is not safe for you to be with me, and Light knows that best of all."

Lightning turned away, looking down at her feet. "How long can you run? They will catch you, one day."

"I can run as long as I must. Whatever happens, we can outlast them."

Standing up with her partner, Fran sauntered toward the _Strahl_. "Let us make good on our head start. We have a strong tailwind. After all, the distinct lack of air ships will give us another advantage."

"We will meet again, Lightning, I am sure of it, in this world, or another." Balthier disappeared with Fran when Lightning didn't answer him, though Mustadio waved to them quite enthusiastically, obviously glad to have his leading lady back at his side.

When the _Strahl_ disappeared into the shadows of the night, Lightning closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Finally, her future was clear.


	10. A new dawn

**Title:** _Alternate Ending #1; or rather, A new dawn_**  
Story:** _So Starstruck_**  
Author's Note:** _This is an ending where there wouldn't have been a sequel, and where Ragnarok wouldn't have been a part of Balthier. A very happy ending, actually. Too happy for me, so I cut it from the plot. But here's what would have happened had Balthier not gone back to Ivalice._

* * *

_The sky was falling._

Or at least that was what it felt like. Orphan's death appeared to have caused quite the mess for Cocoon, for the stars had dimmed and the land was crumbling into crystal flakes. Eden's light from above had faded into darkness, marking the death of yet another fal'Cie. Not that that was something to be entirely proud of; it looked like Cocoon's time was at and end.

Balthier looked down at the city while he and the l'Cie continued to float in the sky, rising higher and higher as each slow moment passed. He could barely make out the figures of the Pulsian fiends stumbling below, terrorizing the few people still running around in the streets. He swallowed hard, wondering what would happen to them all now that their only source of life was killed. Had they truly saved Cocoon, or just damned it into oblivion?

"Stay together!" Lightning's voice snapped him back into reality. She grabbed his hand without warning, pulling him toward the rest of the group. Snow was quick to grab Balthier's other hand, giving the sky pirate a reassuring smile. Normally he would have told the self acclaimed hero to stop giving him one of those looks of longing, but Balthier didn't have the will power right now.

His eyes danced around, studying each of their expressions with the slightest amount of confusion mixed with worry. Balthier's heart dropped when he discovered that Fang and Vanille weren't with them.

"Fang, Vanille!" Snow yelled, reaching for the two women below. Fang and Vanille held hands, smiling at the other five as if nothing was wrong. Vanille looked somewhat frightened, though one nod from Fang had her grinning confidently once again.

Lightning's grip was firm, though Balthier's attention was far from her. Fang and Vanille disappeared in a burst of light, and with a loud roar Ragnarok plunged into Cocoon's depths. The creatures of Gran Pulse split disintegrated the moment the bright light reached their bodies, breaking apart into thousands of particles of crystals. Balthier's breath caught in his throat, and trying to keep calm as much as he could, he turned toward Lightning. But he couldn't say anything: nothing to comfort her, himself nor anyone still left in Cocoon.

The whole world was ending, wasn't it?

Time passed slower than it should have, but the end was drawing near; Balthier could feel it in his veins. The air was suddenly cold like ice, which for once wasn't Snow's fault, and the darkness seemed to be overtaking their bodies. He held his breath when Cocoon began glowing, transforming into a translucent crystal. He could feel himself slipping from Lightning and Snow's grips, but his skin was slowly becoming hard and smooth.

No—it wasn't possible! He tried moving away from the crystal, but he nearly yelled out when he realized he _was_ the crystal. With one last breath, Balthier felt himself falling into an empty, but warm abyss.

* * *

_Wake up._

A light was shining on him, brighter than any sky Balthier had ever seen. The crystal encased his skin was dissolving, and soon he could finally twitch his fingertips and toes. He thought of laughing for no real reason, but suddenly he was falling from a few feet above the ground, air whipping past him like an airship. Strong arms grabbed him before he could hit the grass, wrapping around him like a warm but _very annoying_ blanket.

"Hey, good morning!" Snow exclaimed with a big grin. Balthier slithered from his grasp and brushed off the front of his vest, muttering words of frustration under his breath. Hope and Sazh walked over, looking confused and completely lost, while Lightning was staring up at the now crystallized Cocoon.

"They did it," she whispered. "They saved the world."

Balthier went over to her and whistled. Cocoon was covered with light colored spikes and swirls, glittering in the bright light of the sky. Squinting, he could see to large, vaguely hume shaped crystals embedded outside the world's shell.

"No," Snow said as he touched Lightning's shoulder. "They gave us a _new_ one."

"That's one gift I'll forgive 'em for not wrapping," Sazh agreed with a wide grin.

Gift—from Fang and Vanille. Balthier took a few steps forward, eyes wide as saucers, and almost thought to call out for the two Oerbans. But it would have been pointless; they couldn't hear him anymore. Instead he turned around and looked at the other four, crossing his arms.

"I take it this means your Focus is gone," he said wearily. "Cocoon's been destroyed, in all technicality, though I must say that it's been saved as well."

"It really is a miracle," Lightning murmured, standing beside Balthier. Her eyes drifted toward him, and although she took a few steps forward, she made no movements of sharing the same greeting Snow had with him.

Just below the massive crystal, two familiar figures were happily walking toward the group. A big, enthusiastic grin grew on Snow's lips, and he sprinted forward quicker than Balthier had ever seen before. Sazh, too, was running. He embraced his son, laughing and almost crying at the same time, while Snow swung Serah around in circles, repeatedly yelling her name. Hope couldn't resist smiling, though Lightning appeared as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. When Serah approached her elder sister, tears filling her bright eyes, she threw her arms around Lightning's shoulders.

"I missed you," she whimpered, burying her nose in the soldier's neck.

"Serah," Lightning said in the girl's ear, "I'm sorry. For everything."

"It's okay, it's all right now."

Snow wrapped an arm around Serah's shoulder when she moved away from her sister, and Sazh walked over with Dajh cheerfully sitting on his shoulders. The chocobo chick fluttered over to Balthier, promptly perching on his head.

"Hey, the apologies can wait," Snow said with a confident snicker. "We've got a wedding to plan, remember?" He paused, frowning for a moment when Lightning's eyebrow arched in his direction. "You..._are_ going to allow it, right?"

Hope rolled his eyes. "You don't waste time, do you?"

"No, I don't!"

"That's right. Just charge in, guns blazing," Sazh added, smirking at Balthier. The sky pirate shrugged, though he glared at Snow the instant the blond nearly choked him with a one arm hug.

"C'mon, Light, you've gotten let me and Serah get married, 'cuz Balthier's gonna be my best man!" he exclaimed. "Since you'll be Serah's maid of honor, you and Balthier gotta spend more time together, too!"

"There are times when you're too forward, Ice," Balthier murmured, inching away from the taller man's grip and purposely beside Lightning. "Though I agree—somewhat."

She stared at him, eyebrows raised, and tilted her head partially to the right. "I think all any man who calls himself a hero is too forward," she muttered, smiling gently. Lightly and sneakily taking Balthier's hand in her own, she turned toward Snow and Serah. "But I believe you. Congrats."

While they continued with their reunion, Balthier looked up at Cocoon one final time. Somewhere, deep within, he knew Fang and Vanille were watching over them all; he could just hear Fang laughing and making a snarky comment, while Vanille heartily promised him everything would be all right. Ivalice may have been out of reach now, but there was something more important waiting for him. He could feel it.

_Now we live on...to greet a new dawn._


	11. Sky pirating isn't your style

**Title:** _Lesson in Pirating #1; or rather, Sky pirating isn't your style_**  
Story:** _Bad Bromance_**  
Author's Note:** _Here's the start of another mini series, this time one about the bromance between Snow and Balthier. As you may recall, Snow often made remarks about how he wanted to be a sky pirate, but Balthier would remind him of some ruckus the blond caused each time he tried shooting a gun, flying an air ship, etc. Here's the first part!_

* * *

_Watching the two heroes of the group every morning was truly an intriguing experience._

Penelo sat in a tree just within the Salikawood, feet dangling and swinging back and forth, and quietly gazed upon the people she had come to call family. Sharpening the crooked blade of her diamond sword, Ashe was waiting for the others to finishing readying themselves for the daily Hunt. Beside her were Vaan and Basch, the former eager and jumpy, while the latter merely stood as still as stone. Fran sauntered (she never walked; she _sauntered_) over to them, her bow on her back and quiver of arrows tucked in a small bag.

They departed, not saying good-bye, and Penelo's keen eyes drifted toward the two men left behind in the camp. Now, every morning, Balthier and Snow would have the hardest time waking up. Balthier hardly slept during the night, which left him dazed and disorientated in the morning, and Snow slept too much in the night. Put those two together in a tent and, well, chaos ensued. Snow often thought Balthier was his wife, Serah, and would hug the sky pirate in a rather awkward way before getting out of the tent. That left Balthier in a bad mood while getting ready for the day, leading him to snap at anyone who tried cheering him up.

This morning, however, was slightly different. Snow got up before Balthier and was waiting outside their tent, pacing across the path like an impatient chocobo. He really did look like a chocobo when his hair wasn't hidden by that bandana of his, though.

Penelo thought of saying something to make her presence known, but something was telling her to just sit back and watch. Balthier stumbled out from his tent, grumbling about rib-crushing-hugs. Snow's expression immediately brightened.

"Morning, Balthier!" he greeted, getting right in the sky pirate's angry face. "You know what today is, don't you? Right, right?"

"The day I don't have to endure Vaan's antics?" Balthier drawled through a long yawn.

"Yes and no." Snow grinned like a mischievous cat. "You promised you'd show me what it takes to be a sky pirate. That's what you said, back on Cocoon. Please don't tell me you've forgotten..."

Balthier rubbed his neck, casting a glance to the side almost exasperatedly. Dealing with Snow, Penelo noted, must have been like dealing with a needy child. Scratch that—Snow _was_ a needy child. She had counted, over the past few weeks, exactly twenty-seven times Snow vied for Balthier's attention over everyone elses. Just what was going through his head, no one would ever know.

"Really, Ice, you're not cut out for this lifestyle." Balthier held up one hand, counting each finger as he spoke, "You're too brash, you can't sneak worth a damn, you have a habit of not thinking clearly, you yell out names of your loved ones far too often, and your trench coat is absolutely atrocious."

"What've you got against my trench coat?" Snow whined, pulling at said coat.

"Let's just get this day over with, shall we?"

Penelo leaned around the branch and kept her eyes glued to Balthier as he dug through one of the loosely packed bags, pricking his fingers every now and then on a sharp object. Snow stood over him like a shadow; an extremely nervous and excited shadow, that is.

"First lesson: all pirates need to be experts in handling weaponry." Balthier pulled out his old altair, wiping some of the dust from the barrel with his sleeve. "Fran would be a better teacher in this subject, but she thought you'd prefer to have me teach you. Not exactly sure why, but..."

A smile crept across Penelo's lips. She wanted to tell Balthier that Snow was absolutely _crazy_ about him, but then they would know she was there. And that, obviously, would ruin all the fun.

"I know how to use guns, thank you very much," Snow retorted as if offended. "Everyone in NORA had to learn how to shoot. I just prefer using my hands. Get the job done yourself, right?"

Balthier then gave the blond a look that Penelo never wanted to see again: the glare of absolute disapproval.

"That, my dear Ice, is barbaric. If you want to be a sky pirate, learn to be proper." Balthier thrust the gun into Snow's hands and then walked toward the end of the bridge, holding out his arms almost comically. "Now then. Shoot me."

Snow's jaw dropped, as did Penelo's. "What?" he exclaimed, voice cracking from surprised. "Balthier, I'm not going to _shoot_ you! That's...that's just insane!"

"We're all mad here," Balthier chimed a little too happily. "All you have to do is aim to stun, not kill. Can you handle that, Ice?"

"I, uh, I think so." He eyed the gun with unsteady eyes, looking every now and then toward Balthier. Penelo could feel the uneasiness rolling off of Snow, and judging by the way he kept acting like the gun was a foreign object, he hadn't directly told the truth. She could see right through him: Snow, never in his life, had handled a gun.

Well, this was going to be painful to watch.

"I am waiting, Ice," Balthier said with a false yawn. "I'm getting older over here."

Very, very slowly, Snow raised the gun, squinting at the sky pirate, and Penelo covered her eyes. Silence—and then—_bang_! Avions scattered into the vast sky, cawing at the loud noise, and the trees rustled with the wind. But it was the yelp of pain that made Penelo gather up the courage to open her eyes and look down. However, she nearly burst out laughing when she saw that Balthier was completely unharmed, and Snow...Well...

"My foot! Dammit, my foot!" he yelled, dropping the gun and stumbling against a nearby tree. "I shot my foot off! I shot it!"

The appalled look on Balthier's face was a rare sight; his brows rose uncharacteristically, lips parted into an "o". Then he pinched the bridge of his nose, muttered something under his breath and marched over to the panicking blond.

"Ice," he said as if talking to a child, "your foot is fine. Just a scratch, you big oaf."

Snow wasn't listening. "Do you see? Blood! That's _blood_ right there!" He slumped down, pulling his shoe off and proceeded to poke at his now bruised toe. "I'm never gonna walk the same _again_," he groaned, shaking his head.

"Considering you walked oddly in the first place, I see no problem. Sit still, would you? You're like to go into shock if you get too overexcited."

Leaning forward, Penelo tilted her head as she watched Balthier tend to Snow's "battle wound". She hadn't seen the two of them act like this before, not when the others were around. Perhaps that was it; the bond these two shared wasn't for the eyes of others. How weird. She sank back down into the branches of the trees, closing her eyes and smiling to herself.

There were some things no one would understand, it seemed.


	12. The gift of eternity

**Title:** _Alternate Ending #2; or rather, The gift of eternity_**  
Story:** _Revenant_**  
Author's Note:** _We all know Revenant had a fairly sad ending, and believe it or not: this ending isn't much happier. I'm mostly incapable of writing happy endings...This is also completely different than what I had planned for this alternate ending, so I'll post the other idea on my LJ when I type it up.  
_

* * *

"_You will be the last of our kind, and when that happens, what will you do, daughter of Etro? She will not save him as She saved you. He is not born of Her world._"

Feolthanos stood over her, smile so dark and cruel, as Lightning barely managed to clench the ledge, feet dangling in desperation. His red wings folded behind him like a majestic cape, eyes leering at her like a pair of blades inching closer and closer, ready to slit her throat. Lightning held onto the last bit of her shattered gunblade with her freehand, lamenting on her loss for only a second before glaring at the aegyl god.

"Do you really think I'll believe that crock?" she asked in a hiss. Her fingers were slipping, and one false move would send her falling into the depths of this kingdom of Hell.

"_Blinded, you have become. If you truly care for him, you will let him die. You will let his life pass to save him_."

"So you just want me to let him die and pretend this never happened? I don't think so!"

This was it: she flung herself from the ledge and allowed herself to fall into the Mist, arms spread wide in a warm, welcoming motion. A burst of magick energy and light surrounded her body, and soon she was sitting behind Odin on his horse, his Zantesuken blade tightly gripped in her hand. Feolthanos stumbled backward, his own greatsword nearly colliding with the floor.

"_I have shown you what you will become should you choose the other path_," he stammered in a hushed voice. "_Do you not understand, daughter of Etro? You should be afraid; without him, you will lose all hope to carry on._"

"You're not making any sense at all. First you tell me to let Balthier die, and now you're telling me to let him live eternally?" Lightning laughed loudly for a brief moment. "You're nothing but an old fool, Feolthanos. Eternity must have messed with your head a bit much."

The moment she struck him down, plunging the sword through his chest, the cloudy area began to shift back into what it once was: the castle in Eternity's March. Odin faded when he took his sword from her, and Lightning looked at the others when they spotted her standing over Feolthanos' rapidly fading body. Snow was looking between the two of them with a confused yet not-too-worried expression, while Balthier, bearing only a few wounds from his fight against Bahamut, kept a hand on the self acclaimed hero's arm, his eyes focused on only Lightning. A strange light continued to surround the fallen aegyl god, and Mydia covered her lips to stifle a gasp.

"What not, Feolthanos?" Lightning asked, looking down at him. "Are you going to abandon your people to live with the rest of the Eternal in the afterlife?"

"_With my death, you will be the last of our kind...But you can prevent that._" Feolthanos choked on blood, staring up at her with shaky and wide eyes. "_Use the last of my anima...and save the one you cherish most. Kill him to save him._"

Lightning whirled, meeting Balthier's eyes as he shook his head, trying to tell her to not accept the god's proposition. She would not deny the risks; Feolthanos was as much of a trickster as Lindzei, but just as noble as Ragnarok. Her mind was spinning around and around, stressing over every possibility, every failure and every success, as well as the fates of both her and Balthier. Could she take the risk and take his life to save him? He said immortality was not what he wanted, but he must have been denying the truth. Balthier _needed_ to live forever - with her.

Her fingers trembled and twitched, though her eyes flashed toward the danjuro dagger in Vaan's hands. It would not be so hard to end a life, would it? One swipe and that was it, right? Lightning glanced toward Feolthanos; there was not much time. _Do it_.

_Kill him to save him_.

"Lightning?" Penelo whimpered, clinging to Vaan's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Of course she's okay," Vaan told her hastily, but then he noticed: "H-hey! My dagger!"

She had danced past her oblivious comrades in an instant, the danjuro blade heavy in her grip as she ran for her target. It was easy to get past Snow when he least expected it. One thrust, twist and that was it; Balthier's lips parted agape when he gasped, legs going limp and forcing him into Lightning's arms. She gave the dagger another forceful twist to assure that the deed had been done, one arm wrapped tenderly around his shoulders, and she held him in a loving manner. She could not look at his face, not when he died in her arms.

This was better - for the both of them.

"_Lightning_!" Snow yelled, shoving her away from the sky pirate. He now held Balthier instead, cradling the dying man and trying his best to keep him alive. The others were too stunned, too appalled to even say a word. "Don't fall asleep, Balthier, no matter what; don't you _dare_ fall asleep. Keep your eyes open! _Please_-"

It was no use. Lightning dropped the dagger and eyed the blood dripping from her hands: it was red, like the roses Balthier had given her on the day that marked the anniversary of when they met. Red like her own blood that spilled when she was shot, staining Balthier's favorite vest beyond repair. Red like the eyes of a monster who loved her.

Snow did not cry when the light faded from Balthier's eyes. Instead he languidly gazed up at Lightning, striking blue eyes narrowed in a hateful and despising sense, lips pulled into a snarl that rivaled Mydia's scrutinizing expressions. At this point, Lightning couldn't care what Snow thought. He didn't understand what it felt like to not feel anything day to day, unable to feel a damn thing when something terrible happened.

"Bring him _back_," Snow spat, voice no longer optimistic and caring, but antagonized, desperate and storming. "Bring him back, Lightning!"

She wasted no time in lifting Balthier's body over to Feolthanos, the Mist and anima leaking from him like a waterfall. The aegyl god touched the sky pirate's colorless face, his own metallic blood seeping from his hands and onto Balthier's cheeks, slinking to the floor like a lifeless animal. Lightning hadn't realized she was shaking until she got down on her knees, the pain of waiting consuming her completely.

Feolthanos became nothing more than dust in the wind, and Balthier woke with a strangled yelp, sitting up and running his hands over his chest to find that his wound was a line of matted flesh. He tried to breathe, but found that is was a pointless task that required extra thought; then the look he gave Lightning made her heart sink.

Because of her, he was dead.

* * *

The Isles of Lemurés began to crumble, breaking apart and disappearing into the small amount of Mist left behind as the remaining aegyl gathered to bid their home farewell. Llyud flew past Vaan and Penelo, who stood upon the roof of the _Strahl_ with the others, and looked back at them once more. He waved, smiling, and then soared off into the distance to join his brethren. Lightning could hear the young Filo start to cry, and both Kytes and Tomaj attempted to cheer her up before she could choke Nono with her tearful hug.

Snow looked over at Lightning and met her eyes, and she gave him one nod and a smile. He grinned widely, and Ashe walked up beside him, softly taking his hand in her own. Basch gazed toward Vaan and Penelo as they stood close to each other, watching their _Galbana_ fly into the skies and leaving them. And then, Lightning faced the two sky pirates standing away from the others.

Fran flipped her pale hair over her shoulder, though her dark eyes were not watching the Isles dissipate. Balthier stared at the open air with a regretful look on his tawny face, and at first he didn't notice the two women watching him. He hesitantly stared back at Lightning, and all he could give her was a faint smirk and a shrug. She cast her eyes toward her feet, but she smiled wistfully when she heard his footsteps leave and turned her eyes upward, looking to the sky.

* * *

_**Many years later...**_

"You've made quite a name for yourself."

Lightning smirked and looked at the man holding up the poster with her bounty: the Phoenix, reward by request. It was a fair and updated representation; her hair was back to its silvery pink tone, and her trench coat looked more like wings rather than a mess of red. They still didn't get her eyes right, maintaining a beast-like appearance rather than what was there in reality. She touched the top of the poster and moved it away, meeting Balthier's dark, unrelenting eyes.

"Come to collect me, then?" she asked. "The Godless Thief must be desperate for money if he's chasing other heretics."

"I'm not here because of money, Lightning," Balthier growled.

"Then what? I don't have any auracite on me. I know what you've been trying to do, Balthier." She leaned back in her seat and frowned. "Auracite can't kill Eternal beings, you know that. We can only kill each other. And I'm not killing you, no matter how much you beg."

His expression darkened. "You still fail to understand how you've cursed me...don't you?" His voice dropped to a whisper when he leaned close to her; she could smell the alcohol in his breath. "When I brought you back to life, Etro and I made a deal: my life for yours. And when the time came for her to collect my life, I couldn't die. And you know what she did, Lightning? She took someone else's life. She took _Snow_."

Lightning swallowed hard. "That's not true; he went to the war and was killed in battle...Etro had nothing to do with it."

"Etro had nothing to do with it, hah!" He grinned, chuckling. "Always protecting your goddess...Well, if your goddess is so righteous and good, why did she plan on taking away my life in the first place? Why don't you go and ask her that? While you're there, do ask why she had to take him away in my stead. I'd like to hear her false words for myself."

"It's your fault for making the deal in the first place."

"So you chose to have me suffer alongside you? Thank you, then - thank you for taking away my life."

Balthier was gone in an instant, never to cross her path again. Lightning looked down at the poster as it drifted to the floor, then picked it up and held it tenderly in her hands. After a moment of consideration, she tossed it into the fireplace and watched it burn.


	13. Heroes

**Title:** _Bad Bromance Alternate Ending; or rather, Heroes_**  
Story:** _Bad Bromance_**  
Author's Note:** _I posted this on my LJ a while back, and I'd forgotten to post it here. I changed a few things here and there, and I found a second scene for the end of this in my closet (random, yes) so I added that, too. This was before I added in Ragnarok to the plot, so that's why our dear beastie isn't mentioned._

* * *

Balthier was already trying to start the _Strahl_ when Snow reached the cockpit, standing behind him and looking over his shoulder. It wasn't hard to see the anxiousness in his eyes, no matter how hard he tried to hide it under his sarcastic facade. If anything, it was more obvious than ever before. Things weren't going as planned.

When Fran informed him that the glossair engines weren't responding, Balthier stood up from his seat and moved for the back of the ship, brushing past the blond. Seeing that the viera wasn't going along, Snow knew that that was the signal telling him to follow the sky pirate. He walked right past the princess, not once looking at her frightened expression, and followed Balthier into the hall. However, something crashed above the ship, and Snow grabbed Balthier before he fell over.

Ashe cried out, exclaiming that the glossair rings of the _Bahamut_ had stopped. The two men exchanged glances, a silent agreement between just the two of them. Balthier turned around and told Vaan what to do when the power came back to the _Strahl'_s engines, while Snow patiently waited in the door way. Ashe was looking at him again, expecting some sort of explanation before he went off and killed himself.

He wasn't prepared to give her one.

The moment Vaan sat down in the pilot's seat, Balthier was on the move again. He and Snow hurried into the _Strahl'_s engine room, and while the sky pirate repaired the little damage done, the taller man eagerly looked out the small window to the left of the engine. Air ships were still flying around, failing in an attempt to hold off enemy forces. What was the point of fighting? The war was over.

Wasn't it?

Balthier grabbed Snow's arm and dragged him off the _Strahl_ and onto the familiar runway into the _Bahamut_. He looked back once at his precious ship as if he was saying good-bye. It took off not a moment later; there went their only means of escape, Snow noted. The two of them found their way to the control room of the damned ship, and just as he had with the _Strahl'_s engines, Balthier went to work on repairing the glossair rings.

"See if you can't fix the main engine of the ship, Ice," Balthier commanded, pointing to a large device across from the machine he was kneeling before. "It'll buy them some time, at the least."

Snow nodded. "Right."

He got on his knees, ignoring the increasing temperature of the room. The very little Mist left over from Vayne's insane attack helped the engine recover energy, but it made the faded l'Cie brand on Snow's arm burn like hell, to be brutally honest. He didn't care to really notice. As he unscrewed the small handle of the mechanism, he looked toward Balthier, noticing the tense way his eyes were narrowed.

"You holding up okay, Balthier?" Snow asked, pulling the hinge from the engine. "Not gonna start crying, are you?"

The sky pirate scoffed. "If anyone is going to express their sadness, it'll be you. Thought you would have wanted to stay with our dear princess and become King of Dalmasca."

"Nah, that life's not my style. Not that I won't miss her or anything, but this is more important. Remember: we're the heroes! Someone's gotta save the day, so it might as well be us."

"I admire your dedication, Ice. But you're still a fool."

Snow forced a grin. "What about you? You regret not getting to see a certain someone again?"

"I'm certain Lightning will be more than happy to slap me the moment we see each other in the afterlife. I deserve at least that much."

"Now you know how I feel."

The next few minutes seemed to pass by quicker than either of them expected. Basch (pretending to be his late brother), Larsa and Ashe announced that the war was over. The princess was overtaken by emotion, though Snow knew that he was a part of the reason why she was crying. He didn't get the chance to tell her how he really felt.

But the moment a judge said that he and the remaining air ships of the Archadian army were preparing to ram the _Bahamut_ in order to stop it from crashing into Rabanastre, Snow grabbed the speaker-device from the ceiling and handed it to Balthier.

"Hasty, aren't they," Balthier said, smirking. "I think it's a little early to be throwing away our lives just yet."

Vaan was quick to reply. "_Balthier? Wait, Balthier! Where are you_?"

"Ah, Vaan! Sounds like you made it out okay!" He continued to slide tubes into the glossair engine, while Snow finished up with the repairs on the main engine. "The Strahl's a fine air ship, eh?"

"_What does he think he's doing_?" It was the Marquis of Bhujerba; Ondore. "_Balthier_!"

"Marquis! Stop that fool judge on the Alexander for me, would you? Just getting somewhere with these glossair rings. Almost done! Don't want them ramming me before I finish, do we?"

Something crashed in the distance, and a cloud of dust flew into Snow and Balthier. Snow shook the dust from his hair, spluttering, while Balthier only brushed some off of his forehead. He was smirking, as always.

"_Balthier! Do you understand exactly what it is you're doing_?" Ashe asked. Snow frowned; did no one realize that he was there, too?

"Princess! No need to worry. I hope you haven't forgotten my role in this little story." Balthier picked up one of the tubes from the floor, sliding it into the machine. "I'm the leading man. You know what they say about the leading man? He never...dies." He slid the last tube in the machine, and almost instantly the glossair engines powered up again.

Snow grinned at him, but just as he looked up, part of the ceiling collapsed. Debris fell onto of him, forcing everything to black out for a few moments. The next thing he knew, Balthier was at his side, muttering under his breath.

"Do I have to do everything around here, Ice?"

"_Listen to me, Balthier. Get yourself and Snow out of Bahamut immediately_!" Ashe pleaded. "_Please! You musn't let yourselves die for this_!"

As Balthier moved the debris away from Snow and helped him sit up, the blond couldn't help but smile. Blood dripped from his forehead and into his eyes, staining everything he could see red. He had to blink a few times before he could see clearly.

"I've been thinking about this for a while, Balthier," he said, despite his pounding headache. "You really think you're the leading man of this story? I think you're just a supporting role this time. I'm a hero, too, remember?"

Balthier scoffed. "Ice, please."

The _Bahamut_ continued to fall apart around them, and Ashe kept trying to get them to leave. But the two of them only leaned against the ship's engines, not saying another word to each other. As the _Bahamut_ hit the Dalmascan desert, and fire erupted around them, Snow and Balthier exchanged smirks one last time.

_It's not all the time that heroes die, but when they do...It really is all for the best. Heroes are meant to save the world, and that's exactly what we did._

* * *

"For the last time, Ice, that's not what happened."

Snow grinned widely as he looked up from his mug of hot water, a frown replacing that smile as soon as he spotted Balthier's disgruntled glare. The sky pirate had bandages wrapped around his torso and right arm, where he earned a gruesome gash from the _Bahamut_'s crash. His nose had been broken as well, leaving his voice with a uncharacteristic nasally tone. Snow, apart from the cut on his head, had left the ship unscathed.

"What do you mean, 'that's not what happened'?" Snow asked, crossing his arms. The nurse standing at the other end of the room giggled, leaving the room with a pink tint to her cheeks. For some reason, seeing the two bicker was amusing (or so the nurses had gossiped earlier). "I distinctly remember you and I going off on some suicide mission, thinking we'd get eternal glory from saving Rabanastre."

"And all we got were a fair amount of wounds and an endless amount of ogling nurses," Balthier groaned, slouching in his bed. "The next time one of them even so much as _winks_ at me, I will tear off these bandages and choke them."

Snow clapped a hand on the sky pirate's shoulder, earning a muffled whine in response. "You know what? Once you're all healed up, how about you and I go on a trip, just us?"

"No."

"Aw, come on! Fran will let us go, won't she? I think she's getting tired of you complaining about every little thing that isn't the way you want in this hospital...And I know Vaan and Penelo will let us get the _Strahl_ back."

"Ice, there is no 'us'. You are no sky pirate, therefore the _Strahl_ is not your girl."

Snow smirked. "Really? I seem to recall that you saying that we had a partnership. Remember, back on Cocoon?"

Shifting his shoulders, Balthier turned over so he was no longer facing the blond. Snow had to grin; Balthier always did this when he was embarrassed. "You know what, Ice," Balthier murmured, "I almost wish I hadn't dragged your helpless behind off that ship."

_We heroes have a secret language. What Balthier really meant was, "Snow, I'm glad to have you by my side."_

_...I think._


	14. Lord of the sky

**Title:** _Bahamut fight; or rather, Lord of the sky_**  
Story:** _So Starstruck_**  
Author's Note:** _So I omitted everyone's Eidolon fight save for Snow and Balthier's (aka, the Shiva Sisters and Ultima), though the Bahamut fight was actually one I could have written, but I didn't have the time. This would have taken place after the first fight with Dysley on the Palamecia and after the fight with Cid Raines. So, for your enjoyment, this is the full scene plus more. I miss this story so much..._

* * *

_Balthier's legs were screaming with resistance by the time Lightning stopped her mad and endless march._

Though, as if to spite him, she decided to keep going and headed up the stairs, ignoring the rest of the party's complaints. Eventually, Balthier threatened to stab himself should their journey continue, and, fearing for the sky pirate's sanity, Snow ended up carrying him on his back. Balthier was content with this; as long as he didn't have to walk, he was fine. Vanille gave him a somewhat envious glare, then pranced away after Hope and Sazh. He could have gone without Fang's snarky comments, though.

When Lightning did stop walking for good, it was because of—damned Pulsians—a dead end.

Balthier hopped down from Snow's back and waltzed over the the edge of the platform, where Vanille was happily perched and 'aw'ing at the massive, black hole below. The pit looked as if it would swallow one whole if they chose to jump. Balthier stood on the railing, leaning over the edge, and continued to ponder this idea until Sazh gave him a look that said, 'don't you dare jump'.

"Looks like it's a dead end," Hope said, stating the obvious.

"If the stories are right, it's a maze..." Vanille breathed, touching a finger to her chin.

Fang wasn't as impressed as her partner. "This place is a boot camp for l'Cie. All kinds of challenges from Gran Pulse are waiting to get us all ready to wipe Cocoon. But we can wait here if turning Cie'th sounds better."

No one answered. Balthier sat down on the railing, head resting in his palms as he watched each of his companion's try to figure out just what to do now they'd met a dead end. Vanille looked a tad bit downcast, for once, and both Hope and Lightning were glaring at the abyss below. Sazh was pacing, cursing under his breath.

"I have had enough of this!" he shouted. "Where's the way out?"

"Way out? Who said there was one?" Snow asked, looking determined and speaking up for the first time in a long while. "Bring it on. My mind is made up. Maybe I will end up a Cie'th, but until that happens...I'm gonna make Serah proud. I couldn't bring myself to admit that this tear meant good-bye." The sparkling blue crystal was bright in his gloved hands. "And that's why I kept searching for her. But I didn't need to, because Serah was here the whole time. Right here, watching over me.

"Now I get it. What this tear's been telling me is to not let our Focus win. It's not the fal'Cie we should listen to. It's Serah, and Raines. Do you know why? Because our Focus doesn't matter! What matters to me is that we protect Cocoon, whatever it takes!"

"Same here," Vanille chimed, skipping toward the tall man. "I'll help you do it."

Snow held out Serah's crystal, a smile on his face, and Vanille placed her hand on top of his. Hope followed in suit, nodding in agreement. Not long after the chocobo chick flew over, chirping and hopping onto Hope's hand, though in its excitement, it fell off. Balthier grabbed the foolish creature, setting it down on his shoulder with an exaggerated sigh.

"I mean, come on!" Snow said. "When a chocobo agrees, you know you're on the right path!"

"Well, count me out." Fang's voice was scornful and full of anger, a contrast to her usual sarcastic drawl and witty attitude. She took slow steps toward Balthier, looking at him through the corner of her eye. "If you all want to go it on your own, then so will I!" She whirled, drawing her spear and holding the sharp end of it against Balthier's neck. Vanille gasped, covering her mouth, while Snow took a furious step forward.

"Let Cocoon get what's coming," Fang continued. Balthier leaned away from her spear, though his fingers were close to slipping from the railing, casting him down into the gaping hole. "They hate us for being l'Cie and outsiders. What's it to me if they die? Better that than watch a friend go Cie'th. If you don't have the nerve for it, I'll do it myself. How 'bout you give up, too: go on alone, get stronger, and smash Cocoon out of the sky!"

"Fang!" Vanille cried. "Don't do this!"

"You turn Cie'th, and there's no coming back!" Fang stumbled a bit, eyes drooping as if weary. Her inactive l'Cie brand started to glow a deep red color when she dropped her spear, and Balthier stepped down from the railing, the chocobo chick chirping wildly. "I'm not...letting it end that way!"

A flurry of violet lights erupted around her in a flush of magick and Mist. Fang cried out, hands running through her hair, and Vanille made to run forward to help her, tears striking her eyes as Lightning held her back. A burst of wind marked the entrance of an Eidolon, wings unfolding like dark blankets draping the ceiling and red eyes glimmering in the darkness. The magick faded like dust in the wind, and Bahamut drifted above its summoner in shadowy essence. Vanille ran to Fang and touched her companion's shoulders, while Balthier stood between Sazh and Hope.

"What's he doing here?" Fang shouted. "Come to take pity on me? Come to take care of a broken l'Cie?"

Balthier gaped at her. "That beast is here to help us?"

"Yeah, 'help'. That's what Eidolons do: they help us. Eidolons are our salvation; if we can't decide what to do next, they come put us out of our misery!"

"Wait," Snow said, grinning, "so you haven't made up your mind yet!"

Bahamut let out an thunderous roar, a beam of magick shooting out from its mouth like a flash of bursting light toward Fang. Snow dove in front of her—that fool of a Villiers—while Lightning drew her gunblade and sped forward, ready to take on any challenge that came her way. Bahamut's attack disintegrated when Vanille cast a Vanishing spell, and Fang appeared stunned by her comrades' actions, green eyes sparkling like dying stars.

"Why are you protecting me?" she demanded, voice like venom. "What are you doing?"

"Protecting one of our own," Lightning snapped steadfastly. "We can do without their brand of mercy. And we don't need a fal'Cie's orders, either. I'm fighting this Focus until the end. We all are." She lowered her weapon, gaze softening as if she were facing a lost child. She extended her hand, though Fang remained kneeling on the floor. "So please. Fight with us."

At this point, Balthier was skeptical. Not only had Fang threatened to depart from their ranks, but she also meant to _kill_ him. Or that was what it seemed like—all this talk of Ragnarok, fal'Cie and betrayal made his head ache. Now would have been a good time to run, but he couldn't. He was fighting their Focus.

Fang took hold of Lightning's hand and stood up, smirking with a confident air about her. She, Lightning and Vanille took the lead in fighting Bahamut, while Balthier hung back with Sazh, Hope and Snow. He couldn't help notice the continuous routine Fang had throughout the fight: she would switch between healing the other two and teasing the Eidolon with various attacks. But she always made sure that Vanille was out of harm's way, even when she was inflicted with a Doom spell.

It was starting to make sense: Fang was not with them to fight against the fal'Cie, nor to find a way to Ivalice. She was there for Vanille, no one else.

When Bahamut swore allegiance to Fang, her brand ceased to glow and reverted to its inactive state. Fang glanced at it with a fastidious expression, the corner of her plump lips twitching into a scowl. Vanille gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder before perking up and pointing at something below the platform.

"Look!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "A new path!"

A ghostly, blue-white path materialized in a downward fashion and created an exit from the hell awaiting below in the abyss of shadows. Balthier, adjusting the goggles on his forehead, peered from around Lightning's head to get a better look. It didn't seem that it was a trap, lest the gods had more beasts lying in wait in yet another maze. Vanille touched her chin, pursing her lips.

"Maybe that thing did save us..."

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to call it a sign of me being right?" Snow asked, smirking proudly at Fang, who paid no attention to his failed charms (Balthier made a mental note to teach that fool a lesson or two on how to treat women). In fact, no one said a thing. "No? Okay...Listen: keep our eyes on the goal, and we'll figure something out." Again, silence. Lightning rolled her eyes and turned away, muttering something under her breath. "All right, let's do this!"

Their journey continued, though where the path of fate would take them...no one was quite sure.


	15. Like a lost chocobo

**Title:** _Lightning in Ivalice; or rather, Like a lost chocobo_**  
Story:** _Bad Bromance_**  
Author's Note:** _So there was a very slight chance of Lightning being sent to Ivalice by the Occuria rather than Snow. But the bromance between Snow and Balthier was the main theme for the first two stories, so giving her a bigger role in that part was out of the question. However, here's a little snippet of how it may have gone if she was there instead of Snow. The last bit is actually more of a deleted scene from _This Fate_, with a few changes to make it fit this oneshot._

* * *

_Lightning was drifting in and out of sleep, dreaming of the day's events and rethinking all she'd done._ She lay in the _Strahl's_ cargo hold, arms folded behind her head as she relaxed on one of the benches, her eyes fluttering as she tried to stay awake. She'd promised Balthier she would watch over his darling ship while he concocted a plan to escape the Resistance without getting dragged into their "folly". Though, something in the back of her mind told her that Balthier knew all too well that he couldn't escape.

Speak of the devil...

Balthier wandered into the cargo hold, a strange smirk on his face. Lightning sat up slowly, resting her hands on the bench as he approached her. "You're back sooner than I thought," she said. "Weren't you complaining about getting a reward? You know, for rescuing the princess."

"I do not need a reward," he answered softly. "Not when I have you with me."

"Very funny, Balthier, but your charms don't work on me."

He rested his hand on the wall just beside her head and leaned close to her, smirking still. "What charms? I wasn't aware I used them on you...This is just how I feel."

"If this is about our little heart to heart before fighting Orphan, I really don't—"

"_Get away from her, Ragnarok!_"

Balthier turned and scowled, growling lowly at the interruption. To their surprise, the one standing in the doorway was none other than Snow Villiers, one of the l'Cie from Cocoon. Lightning resisted the urge to punch him (after all, he should have stayed home and protected Serah!) and instead went with a simple glare, peering out from around Balthier.

"Snow, what are you doing here?" she asked, though more on the lines of demanded. "Don't tell me those messed up gods sent you here, too..."

It didn't seem like he was listening to her. "I said, get away from her, Ragnarok," Snow spat viciously. "You already tried killing us all once, and you almost succeeded, but not this time!"

Balthier grinned twistedly, red eyes shining. "Come to kill me, eh, Ice? Those Occuria were wise not to bring you here. Surely you wouldn't harm me, not when I look like this."

"Then show us your real self; show _her_ what you really are on the inside!"

"I'd prefer to show you, Ice," Balthier purred, sauntering toward the blond. "After all, we heroes ought to trust one another."

Her heart racing, Lightning stood between the two, holding out her arms to stop Balthier. "Look, I don't know what's going on, but all this talk isn't like you. Snow would never hurt you, and I'm pretty damn sure you feel the same. What's gotten into you two?"

Snow pulled her out of the way, shoving her to the wall. "Stay out of this, sis. It's my job to get rid of Ragnarok—no matter what. Balthier's not who he says he is, not anymore."

She turned toward Balthier again, but he was no longer there. In his place was Ragnarok, crouched on the floor and ready to lunge at its enemy. Lightning tried to grab Snow before he could get himself killed, but her hands went right through him. Wetness stung her eyes as she watched Ragnarok charge, and all she could do was scream.

* * *

"_Balthier!_"

Lightning shot up from the bench, breathing hard as she frantically looked around the cargo hold. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and it took her a few moments to realize she had been dreaming the whole time—but it wasn't a dream, it was a _nightmare_. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the wall, telling herself to calm down.

Yet just as she was beginning to relax, there was a sudden rustling noise in the front of the _Strahl_. Lightning got up and walked through the narrow hallway, holding her breath the entire time, fearing that what she feared was waiting up there. But all she found was Ashe sitting in the pilot's seat, hopelessly trying to figure out the controls.

"Ashe?" Lightning said, stepping slowly. "What are you doing here? This is Balthier's ship."

"I'm going to retrieve the Dawn Shard," the princess answered sharply. "It's the proof I need, and I know where it's hidden. I'll return the sky pirate's ship later."

"Look, I know you think you're doing what's right, but I'm entirely sure this is the best way to approach this. Aren't you being reckless?"

Ashe turned, scowling tightly. "This is something that I have to do! For myself and all those who have fallen. I will not be made to hide!" She then turned away from Lightning again, casting her eyes downward. "I'll fight alone if I must."

"I don't think it would be a good idea for a princess to go off on her own, without a knight to protect her." Lightning paused. "I'm sure you're capable of handling everything alone...Just what are you trying to do?"

"I'm _trying_ to concentrate!"

"That's quite enough, your Majesty," Ondore's voice came from behind the two of them. Ashe stood up immediately, and Lightning turned around in time to see Balthier leaning against the doorway, holding some sort of microphone in his hands with a wide smirk on his face. "What do you think?" he asked, walking toward them. "A bit over the top? In my line of work, you never know when something like this might come in handy." He pressed a button, and then said in Ashe's voice, "I'm trying to concentrate."

Lightning bit her lip, remembering her nightmare. But at least for now, Balthier wasn't trying to seduce her or attempting to kill Snow.

"I'm leaving you with the Marquis," the sky pirate told Ashe, turning away from her.

"But, you can't!" she protested, taking a step forward and past Lightning.

"Trust me, you're better off staying here."

Ashe looked down for a moment, thinking to herself, and not a moment later she looked back up. "Suppose you kidnapped me instead?" she asked. "You're a sky pirate, aren't you? Then steal me. Is that so much to ask?"

He stopped in mid-step. "What do you have that I would want?"

"The Dynast-King's treasure. The Dawn Shard is but one of the riches that lie in waiting in King Raithwall's tomb."

Balthier turned around, whistling lowly. "King Raithwall, you say?"

"Kidnapping royalty is a serious offense," Basch said as he walked into the cockpit. "It won't do much to lower the bounty on your head."

"How much is the price on your head these days, I wonder?"

Basch approached the princess, just as Lightning carefully went to stand by Balthier. "Allow me to escort you in Vossler's place," he said to her, but she looked away from him in frustration.

As if on cue, Fran, Vaan and Penelo walked in. The viera turned toward the two orphans, tilting her head slightly. "Will you be joining us?" she asked the two.

"What, are you kidding? I don't want to stick around this place," Vaan answered, and Penelo nodded in return.

Fran looked toward Lightning next, and eyed her with curiosity. "And, you?"

Lightning looked at Balthier, who merely shrugged his shoulders. She hadn't planned on helping a snobbish princess reclaim her throne; no, she came to Ivalice to stop Ragnarok. But at this point, it felt like everything was tied together. "It's not like I have anything better to do in this world," Lightning agreed.

The viera almost smiled. "Then it's settled. We should leave before the Marquis realizes she's missing. Like proper kidnappers."

* * *

Since having that nightmare, falling asleep was a harder task for Lightning. Half the time she gave up and went to talk with whoever was on watch duty; Basch was always content with listening to her troubles, while Vaan often cheered her up with a game of cards. She avoided leaving her tent when it was Ashe sitting by the fire, however. The princess had yet to accept Lightning as a true member of their party.

Tonight was different. She was curled up in her bed mat, tossing and turning from the uncomfortable heat of the Dalmascan desert, when the tent flap opened and closed, signaling that someone had entered her tent. She ignored it, knowing that it was probably Penelo or Fran. But then the person crawled into her bed mat and was crouched over her, chuckling.

"I must admit, having you avoid me almost breaks my heart," Balthier purred, running a finger along Lightning's cheekbone. She sat up and drew away, inching toward the tent wall. "What has gotten into you, Light? I did promise to speak with you on the matter of joining the princess on her cause, but you don't seem to want that."

"Fine, then let's talk." Lightning covered herself with the blanket, and continued to glare at him. "But I need answers, _real_ answers."

He didn't seem to get the memo that she didn't want to be near him. Balthier crawled over to her and pressed his face to hers, though paused when his lips were just over her mouth. "Ask away," he murmured, not quite paying attention to what she was saying.

She swallowed hard, unable to think clearly with him _right there_. "Well, I seem to remember you—um, not particularly wanting to join the Resistance," she stammered. "You said you'd rather, uh, join a pack of seeqs than insurgents."

"Mm, did I say that?" he asked in a rich, velvety tone. His warm lips brushed against her collarbone, though Lightning did not pull away. It wasn't until she felt a sharp, pointed pricking feeling against her neck that she shoved Balthier away, and immediately started to search for her gunblade in the darkness. When she finally found it, Balthier was staring at her with a stunned expression, his eyes back to their normal deep brown. He looked almost ashamed of what he'd almost done.

"I need _answers_," Lightning hissed. "You're hiding something from me and I don't like it one bit."

"I thought you'd enjoy being seduced by me," he answered, trying to relieve tension. Her glare didn't falter. "Well, that aside...I thought you would have it figured out by now. You were always the smartest of the l'Cie..."

"Figured what out?"

"The beast's out of the bag now, I suppose." He smirked. "I am Ragnarok, and you're to be my Destroyer."


	16. Sweet mercy!

**Title:** _Gigantuar Mission; or rather, Sweet mercy!_**  
Story:** _So Starstruck_**  
Author's Note:** _This was a request from my Brain Buddy,__** The Giant Daifuku**__. She wanted me to write a scene with Balthier, Sazh and Snow going after the Gigantuar, because the actual mission in the game is quite funny._

* * *

_We five l'Cie are the Shepherds who see the caravan safe from harm. Though we act as one, it falls to me to fulfill our Focus, for I am the leader, and what manner of leader would shirk his most onerous of duties? I could not abide such shame. The eastern tors are the dominion of our mark_—_a fell gigantuar. It is said to frequent a rise within the oretoise territory. For honor, the fal'Cie, and my brothers, I will slay the spiny scourge, and carve my own legend in its ruined husk._

The Cie'th Stone hovered the grassy plains of the Archylte Steppe, a sad look on its face as the l'Cie and hume read its failed Focus. Vanille took a step back and folded her hands together, as if to pray for this poor soul trapped in a Stone for all eternity. When she finished, she pivoted on her toes and faced the party, a sudden brash look of determination in her eyes.

"We have to help him," she proclaimed, hands on her hips. "It's our duty as l'Cie to help other l'Cie!"

Sazh groaned. "Here she goes again..."

"What if this was us, hm? What if we fail our Focus and become Cie'th, then after a while turn into Cie'th Stones!" Vanille huffed. "Don't you think someone would try to help us?"

Everyone gave her a collective "no".

"Think about it! Maybe some other l'Cie will find us and want to help! We can't be the only good l'Cie in the world..."

Balthier crossed his arms, looking down at the girl with a somewhat displeased expression. "Count me out. You lot are the l'Cie, I'm just the poor human dragged into this mess," he said. "I'll just stay in camp while the rest of you chase after unworldly beasts."

Vanille stormed right up to him and prodded a finger at his chest. "_You're_ going after this Cie'th Stone's Focus, then! Maybe then you'll learn that this journey we're on is more dangerous than you think!" Sazh started laughing from behind her, but then Vanille whirled and was soon hectoring him as well. "You, too! You're going with! And..." She paused, sneering at the rest of the party. Finally, she set her eyes on the boastful, self acclaimed hero himself. "You go with them, Snow!"

He gaped at her, resembling a fish out of water. "_What_?" he exclaimed. "But I haven't even said anything!"

"No buts about it! You're all going!"

* * *

Fang wrangled up two chocobos for them, and left with a snarky grin on her face and a curt laugh escaping her lips. Sazh begrudgingly took the first chocobo and disappeared off in the distance, not even suggesting where they should start looking. Shaking his fist at the older man, Balthier started yelling vile words that would have made even Lightning blush in embarrassment. Snow ended up dragging the sky pirate onto the last chocobo, ignoring any further grumblings.

The fal'Cie Titan was stirring in the distance, towering over even the mightiest Oretoises and feasting on them for lunch. Balthier shuddered, turning his attention back to the blurs of grass they passed by, and kept his eyes toward the ground until they found Sazh. He was standing a few feet away from his chocobo, observing the cliff side with a heavy glare.

"Any luck?" Snow asked, remaining as optimistic as ever. Well, at least he didn't blame Balthier for getting dragged into going after this mark.

His question was answered when a green shape appeared in the distance, hopping up and down and spinning atop one of the hills. Sazh laughed, walking closer to the cliff side.

"Hm...I think our prickly green pest's back," he said with a smirk. "Come for another shot at ol' Sazh, have you?" The cactuar must have heard him; it took one giant leap and was suddenly hopping in front of the three men (Balthier gave a shout and tripped over his own feet). However, it was _a lot_ bigger than what they expected. "Sweet mercy!" Sazh yelped. "I don't believe we've met!"

The Gigantuar ran around the three, though Balthier was greatly convinced he could hear it laughing at them. He stood up with Snow's always helpful hand, then could do nothing but watch as the Gigantuar ran around them, skipping every now and then.

"I know that trot: it is you, isn't it? Find yourself some fertilizer, did you? Well, Sazh ain't—" Sazh launched himself at the Gigantuar, only to fall flat on his face when it jumped off the cliff. As he stumbled to his feet, he groaned, "Not again...Outrun by a cactus, _twice_."

"Tough luck there, old man," Balthier said with a smirk. The Gigantuar returned, peeking over the cliff and watching them with eyeless holes. "At least the cactuars in Ivalice are docile and treat humans with a semblance of respect."

Sazh wasn't listening, too intent on getting back at the creature for hours of supposed torture. "Are you kidding me? You wipe that smirk off your face!" He drew his dual pistols, ready to fight. Balthier and Snow reluctantly joined him, already knowing just how this was going to end. "I'll teach you to mess with Sazh!"

* * *

"I think we have enough firewood," Lightning murmured when Hope and Vanille returned with two armfuls of logs. "Unless it rains again tonight. But I don't think I can put up with another minute of Balthier's complaints about the drastic weather we've been having at night."

"Can't wait to hear what those three have to say about their little trip today," Fang chimed, lounging against a tree. "I think you were a tad bit tough on 'em, Vanille. Sending them out on their own..."

The girl shrugged. "Well, they should learn to think about others before themselves!"

Something rustled in the bushes, followed by a sudden curse and snarl, and out of nowhere, Fang started laughing hysterically. Lightning and Hope turned to look just as Sazh walked into the camp, pulling needles out from skin and clothes, tailed by a bruised and battered looking Snow, carrying Balthier, noticeably unconscious and silent for once, on his back. Lightning rolled her eyes; they should have expected this.

"What happened?" Vanille asked, standing up the instant she spotted the three men walk into camp. Sazh gave an exasperated sigh, picking more needles from his afro.

"Don't want to talk about it."

He disappeared in the firelit cavern, grumbling about "prickly green aliens". Lightning looked at Snow, surprised that he wasn't making a joke about their current situation.

"Well?"

Snow looked uncertain, his lip curling disdainfully. "I...don't feel like explaining it either." He, too, disappeared, most likely to fix Balthier up and sulk for the rest of the night. Vanille and Lightning exchanged concerned glances, while Hope let out a faint chuckle.

"I'm kind of afraid to ask about it now..."


	17. Walking heaters and ironic names

**Title:** _Paramina Rift scene; or rather, Walking heaters and ironic names_**  
Story:** _Bad Bromance_**  
Author's Note:** _So this was mainly a scene mentioned in Bad Bromance, so I thought: why not write it out completely? I added a lot that wasn't seen. Plus, there's an allusion to the major bromance one-shot I'm working on in here as well. :)_

* * *

_After fighting and barely defeating the Elder Wyrm, the entire party wanted to do nothing more than sleep._

Of course, a certain princess and lord were determined to reach their destination before nightfall, leaving the rest of them to groan and grumble every time Ashe went on a spiel about saving Dalmasca and earning freedom. At least she allowed them to stop when Vaan started to complain about his sore shoulders, having jumped into a rough fight with wolves to protect Penelo.

"It will take us another day to cross the Rift," Ashe explained as she looked over the detailed map of Ivalice. "I suggest we rest once we reach these caverns and recover our strength for tomorrow morn."

Vaan gave a cheer in celebration, but Penelo quickly whacked him up side his head.

"My contact should already be waiting at Bur-Omisace," Larsa said diplomatically, "so we musn't falter too long."

"You know, I'm starting to question this contact of yours… How do we know he's even real?" Vaan asked, yawning slightly.

"Vaan, you're not making any sense at all," Penelo giggled, patting his shoulder. She paused, listening intently and shushing Vaan when he tried to talk. "Wait, what's that clicking noise?" She looked toward Basch and Fran, both wondering about the sound as well, and when she turned toward Balthier, he merely rolled his eyes and jabbed his thumb to his left. _Oh._ "You okay, Snow?"

Everyone turned at this. Snow had pulled his trench coat tightly around himself, but still he was shivering like a frightened dreamhare, his teeth chattering loudly as he tried to keep warm.

"It's so… d-d-damn _c-c-cold_!"

The two orphans broke into a fit of snorts and laughter, while Basch and Ashe attempted to shield their amusement by turning their attention toward the map once more. Balthier gave an exasperated sigh and shook his head.

"Really, you ought to _happy_ here since your name is Snow, after all," he drawled.

Snow gave him a look that rivaled the princess' foul glare. "That's… n-not f-f-fun-ny!"

The trip to the cavern was far less than pleasant. Vaan had managed to get himself in trouble again, this time in an attempt to protect _Fran_ of all people, earning him a gash across his back from a wolf's claws. Penelo refused to heal him again, leaving Ashe to do the chore instead. That put her in the most terrible of moods, which in turn put Basch in a slightly troubled mood. No one was cheery by the time they stopped for rest, save for Larsa, but nothing seemed to dampen that kid's optimism.

Balthier took first watch with Snow after being lectured by Fran, so while the others slept peacefully in their tents, the two of them were stuck outside by the rather pathetic fire. Balthier tiredly lay down on the mat a foot away from the fire pit, watching as Snow practically stuck his hands in the flames.

"You're not still mad at me, are you?" Balthier asked, staring up at the numerous stars lighting up the night sky.

"There are tons of ways I can make fun of your name," Snow snapped, then added after a short pause, "I'm just taking a while to think of some."

"Perhaps your brain is frozen as well."

"You are _so_ lucky I can't feel my fingers right now. I'd wring 'em around your neck if I could!"

The sky pirate smirked. "I doubt that. You're too soft. And don't think I didn't overhear you offer your coat to the princess when we first arrived."

Despite how cold it was, Snow's cheeks still flushed. "Yeah, well, not everyone is dressed for this kind of weather. I think we're the only ones who are."

"And you still whine and moan about being cold."

"That's because I'm not a walking heater like you!"

Balthier frowned and turned away.

Sighing heavily, Snow lowered his head. "Balthier, I… I'm sorry. But, you know, you should lighten up about all this. At least _try_ to cheer up. You can make fun of me all you want!"

His brows furrowed in response, and after a moment of silence: "A walking heater I may be, but that does not mean you can use me to keep you warm at night, Ice. Every time I wake up, you've your arms around me, calling me 'Serah'."

"Th-that's not my fault!"

A rustle and a huff announced the presence of another member of their party. Both men turned to see Penelo, her hair a mess and in tangles, staring at them with droopy eyes.

"Could you keep it down?" she asked in a quiet, but somehow annoyed tone. "Some of us are trying to sleep…"

She disappeared behind the tent folds, leaving the two to hold back their amusement and laughter. Moments passed as they watched the night sky become enveloped by clouds of gray, the stars finally getting some rest. Snow pulled his hands away from the fire and cast his gaze downward, then looked over at Balthier.

"Hey, Balthier?"

"Hm?"

He bit his lip uncertainly. "We should… we should come here again sometime. Just us."

Balthier stretched his arms and curled up on the mat, closing his eyes. "Don't you plan on getting back to your girl once this is all over?"

"Oh… right."

* * *

"Empires parade down city streets while refugees walk barefoot through the snow," Balthier mused as they watched a small group of humes trudge through the cliffs, hoping to find shelter for the night. Larsa shifted uncomfortably where he stood with Vaan and Penelo.

"And so I sue for peace to stop short war and ease their suffering," he said tightly. "My father will choose peace."

"Will he now?" Balthier turned, scrutinizing the boy with a cold stare. "You sound sure of yourself. You can never know another, even your father."

He brushed past the boy and marched off into the distance, the others trailing not too far behind, though Snow and Vaan stood back and waited for Larsa. The young lord watched the refugees disappear behind the cliffs with almost a regretful expression.

"Don't take it the wrong way, okay?" Vaan said, touching his shoulder.

Larsa only sighed. When Snow caught up to Balthier and the rest of the group, he wasn't surprised to see that the sky pirate staring at the lightning-bolt charm around his neck. He gaze lingered for a moment before he offered Snow a shrug, walking on as if nothing had changed.


	18. A second chance

**Title:** _Alternate BB scene; or rather, A second chance_**  
Story:** _Bad Bromance_**  
Author's Note:** _The first time I really watched the cut scenes with Nora, I seriously thought she was Ashe. Had I discovered this earlier on while writing this story, I would have made more allusions to her when Snow met Ashe. I still can't get the idea out of my head that if Snow ever saw Hope again and introduced Ashe, it would be so AWKWARD. "Hey, it's been a while, huh? Meet my wife, who looks just like your dead mom! Isn't that funny?"_

* * *

"You know, I'm pretty sure we walked by the brick already…"

Snow wanted to close his eyes and hide in a nice, secluded corner the moment Balthier turned, furiously glaring at the other man as if he was just another Imperial in armor, hoping to kill them all. Vaan gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder once Balthier returned to his slightly determined, but mostly annoyed march through the sewers. Nothing would cheer that guy up, would it?

"Hey, when we get out of here, I bet we'll find that guy you're looking for," Vaan said with a wide, childish grin. "I mean, sure Balthier has the necklace you were talking about, but… maybe he just picked it off some other guy? He is a sky pirate, after all."

"I don't think that's the case…"

Vaan shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. I just know that Balthier really doesn't like you, for some reason."

After more walking about, the four eventually reached a large chamber with shallow, murky water covering the brick flooring. Snow scratched his chin, looking around as Balthier attempted to flee from Vaan's pestering questions while Fran watched with partial amusement and absolutely no urge to help her partner. It was the sound of clashing blades that made them all turn; a woman with silvery short hair stood on a ledge, fighting back a number of Imperial soldiers. She cut one down from her path without any hesitation, then turned to the others with a furious glint in her eyes.

"Who would be next?" she demanded, lip curled in anger.

"Close ranks!" one of the men yelled as they leered at her. "Bring her down!"

"Time to be the hero," Snow murmured, breaking into a run. He rushed to the bottom of the ledge and held out his arms, but the woman hadn't even noticed he was there. "Jump down! Come on!"

She turned at the sound of his voice and—_Nora?_ Snow had to blink to refocus on her face, meeting her gray eyes right as she jumped right into his arms.

_Are you sure?_

_Yeah. Moms are tough._

"She's not alone!" a soldier bellowed, breaking Snow's trance as he helped the woman to her feet. Vaan joined them, though Balthier and Fran seemed reluctant to dirty their hands in battle.

"Our ranks grow by the hour," the viera said with a sigh.

"And our troubles with them," Balthier added tightly, drawing his gun.

Vaan nearly tackled one of the soldiers the moment the fight broke out, and the woman was quick to dive into battle and stab one of them in the chest. Snow, however, had to step back for a moment when his vision blurred and warped into a different scene.

_I told you, didn't I? Moms are tough._

There had been an explosion—the beginning that ended far too early. Nora was lying in his arms as soon as the screams started across the bridge as the helpless Purgees plunged to their deaths. Snow could feel Nora's heartbeat slowing with each second, but instead of getting help he could only sit there and watch her die. When he had decided to move—he was too slow and the other half of the bridge collapsed, taking them with it into the depths of the Vestige.

_Get him home…_

"What are you doing?" the woman snapped, grabbing Snow by the arm and dragging him away just as a soldier swung his sword. "You will be killed if you just stand around!"

_What if someone dies? What then, Snow?_

"S—sorry…" Snow said and shook his head.

She ran back to the fight and ended it then and there. When she sheathed her sword and stood alone, Snow couldn't stop himself from seeing if she was okay. Nothing was certain until he asked—right?

"You okay?"

"Thank you." She was smiling softly—

_Nora Estheim. She was my mother—and she died because of you!_

No—not again. "I'm Snow," he said with a small grin. "And that's, uh, Vaan, Balthier and Fran—hey!" When Snow turned around to look at the other three, Balthier was attempting to sneak away into the night. He froze when he heard his name, shoulders slumping in defeat. With a quiet huff, Snow looked at the woman again and asked, "What's your name?"

_Nora—_

"—Amalia," she said, simple as that. "I'm Amalia."


	19. When no one is looking

**Title:** _Alternate SS scene; or rather, When no one is looking_**  
Story:** _So Starstruck_**  
Author's Note:** _I recently became curious about Balthier and Vanille. I mean, sometimes it seemed like the two of them got along more than anyone else… And yet, Balthier hardly remembered her as the years went on. :( So, here's a scene I wish I had included in the story._

* * *

_Sometimes, when no one was looking, Vanille would close her eyes and wish for happier days._

The day someone finally did see her true disposition was a day she discovered that she truly wasn't alone anymore.

She had been wandering through Oerba Village while the others were off hunting some Mark for a poor Cie'th Stone (at least this time she didn't have to threaten them to go) when she saw that the door to the tomb was partly open. Curious and somewhat disturbed, she stepped inside and looked around, finally spotting a figure standing over a closed porcelain casket.

"Balthier, it's only you," Vanille said with a sigh of relief. "I had thought that a fiend may have come in here to scavenge the bodies for scraps…"

He only nodded, mostly to acknowledge that she was there. Pouting, she walked up beside him and crossed her arms, attempting to turn his attention elsewhere. Strange—Balthier looked almost… sad. He stared at the casket with slight sympathy, a distant look clouding his dark eyes, making it seem as if he was hardly paying any attention at all to the rest of the world. It was the same look he had before accidentally summoning Ultima, right after he found out he had died in Ivalice.

Vanille hated seeing him like this. She hated seeing _anyone_ like this… But Balthier?

It hurt too much.

"You okay?" she chimed, leaning forward and looking him in the eyes. Balthier blinked, shaking his head in surprise.

"Hm? Oh, of course…" he muttered, rubbing at his neck. "I was just thinking about… about—"

"Your home?" She smiled. "Sometimes you're easy to read. At least when you're so quiet."

He shrugged. Oh, was it going to be like that, then?

"Homesick?"

"I could be," he said after a while. "It's… hard to remember what it was like, back there. I can scarcely remember what I was doing before the gods dropped me here, let alone why I left in the first place. I suppose dying does that to you, hm?"

She twirled her fingers about a strand of her hair, walking around the tomb and dreamily gazing at all the fine carvings of roses and thorns. "Mm, maybe."

"Of course you understand; you don't remember your first Focus. Right?"

_Oh._ Vanille stopped and lowered her eyes. "I wish that was true."

Balthier had not been there—he didn't see how Fang interrogated her until her Eidolon appeared and confirmed the woman's fears. It had all been a lie. Vanille never became Ragnarok and scarred Cocoon… it had been Fang. It was all a lie…

"What's the point in knowing the truth when lies are so much easier to understand?" Balthier murmured, walking across the room and so obviously pretending to be interested in the carvings on the walls. "I find it a bit more… comfortable when I believe in what's false, rather than is right before my eyes."

"But that means you're just running away. And that—that… that's not the right thing to do."

"It's a coward's tactic, I know." He ran his fingers across the mural of Ragnarok, pausing before letting his hand drop. "Even I have fallen prey to fear. What sort of leading man does that? Succumbing to his fears and running away from it all? I wanted to escape instead of face it. The truth was too much to bear…" He turned and smiled slightly, cocking his head. "Get what I mean?"

She nodded, bringing her hands together.

"But then I finally confronted my own demons and learned that being a coward is not the best answer. There are other choices, other paths I can take that I didn't see before. I realized that I wasn't alone. I have all of you with me now, don't I? It was my death that made me see that, and… perhaps a pep talk or few from Ice cleared my head after a while." He chuckled, rubbing his neck in an almost embarrassed manner. "He deserves more credit than I give him…"

"So… why are you still on your own?" Vanille asked, stepping closer to him. "It's our last day here. Shouldn't you be spending it with everyone?"

"I could ask the same of you, couldn't I? I bet Sazh is telling more campfire stories that will give Hope and Fang night terrors… and Light's probably contemplating numerous ways to emasculate Snow. We're an odd bunch, aren't we?"

She forced a grin, shoving him jokingly. "Don't forget you—our own sky pirate!"

"What about you?"

_I'm Vanille. Just Vanille._

_And I wish you could see me._

"We'd best get back now," he said, noticing her timid expression. "I've spent too much time in this gloomy air…"

He had moved past her and stood in the doorway when she stopped him, catching him by the arm. His skin was so warm; she could feel it even through his sleeve. "Um, Balthier?" she whispered, feeling so small and insignificant under his dark gaze. "I…"

"It's all right, princess." He touched her chin with his fist, giving her a gentle smirk that tugged at her heart. "I know."

When they returned to camp, Balthier parted ways with her to go after their newest runaway comrade. Vanille touched the spot on her face where his hand had been moments before, wishing that she could just yell at him and say, _look at me! I'm right here!_

But she couldn't.

Balthier went to Lightning and touched her shoulder, whispering words that only the deaf could hear. Vanille felt him give her heart one last tug.

When no one was looking, Vanille would close her eyes and lose herself in the happier days she had finally found.


	20. Repair

**Title:** _Just A Short Comparison; or rather, Repair  
_**Story:**_ So Starstruck / Time's Scar  
_**Author's Note:**_ This was inspired by a picture I found on pixiv a while back of Snow repairing Lightning's gunblade. That made me realize how similar he and Mustadio are... which prompted this. In case you're wondering, the SS scene takes place shortly after Balthier "died", hence the major Snow-angst. The TS scene takes place right before Balthier shows up, too._

* * *

"Easy now, sunshine, hold still."

Lightning hissed in pain as Fang brushed her hands over the massive gash covering the soldier's upper arm. White magick danced along the huntress' fingertips as she healed the wound, murmuring words in Pulsian to aid the healing process. It left a minor scar behind, but Lightning didn't really care. Scars only proved that she was strong, not weak.

She looked at her gunblade in her lap. The barrel creaked horridly as she held it up, and the trigger barely clung to the weakened metal.

"Right," Fang said, admiring her work as she stood. "Let's get back to camp. Maybe Vanille's got our oh so wonderful dinner done by now." She looked to her left, smirking. "Oy, old man! Let's get a move on!"

Sazh grumbled as he carried a bag of wood over his shoulder. "Who passed the torch of leader to you?" he asked begrudgingly.

"No one, I just assumed I _was_ the leader."

The two bickered until they returned to Oerba, where Vanille wordlessly handed them two plates of what looked like burnt wolf meat. Lightning didn't miss the way the girl slowly sat down beside her partner, vacantly staring at her plate and noticeably avoiding eating altogether. Hope rested his hand on her shoulder, smiling sadly as if to cheer her up.

Rain poured outside, pattering against the windows and roof. Lightning looked down at her own plate, then back to their faces, realizing they were short one member of their party.

"Where's Snow?" she asked as casual as she could without appearing worried.

"Where do you think?" Hope muttered and sighed.

_Oh_. She nodded and left it at that.

When she was ready to head back to her temporary room, Snow walked into the cottage as silently and swiftly as a ghost. He looked like one, too: his cream colored trench coat was soaked and covered with spots of dirt, and his hair was dripping with rain. But it was his expression that caught her attention. His eyes seemed like they were shrouded by clouded glass, vacuous and empty.

"Snow?"

He walked right past her and up the stairs, numbly making his way into his room. Lightning shook her head and went to her room, but paused and let her hand linger on the door knob for a moment before turning away.

She walked into his room without even knocking. Snow sat by the window, his back to her, hands clenched at his sides. Lightning closed the door behind her and leisurely approached him, taking a soft breath.

"We already had dinner," she said. "Wasn't the best, but what more can you expect from Pulse food?"

He didn't answer her.

"Look, I know where you were. We all do. You don't have to keep blaming yourself, Snow. We—we miss him, too."

"There's nothing left to say," he replied lowly. "What's done is done."

She left it at that, knowing all too well that neither of them wanted to openly mourn. Her thoughts drifted toward her gunblade again. There was no way she'd last a day on Pulse without her trusty weapon at her side. She pulled the pieces from her pack and tossed them on the bed, finally getting Snow to turn around. He stared at her, dumbfounded.

"My gunblade," she said pointedly. "It needs to be fixed."

Snow flashed a weak, yet still sincere smile. "You really need to stop being so reckless, sis."

* * *

"Light? Light! Are you listening to me?"

Lightning blinked out of her momentary daze as Mustadio waved his gloved hand in front of her face. They sat in their tent while the others went off searching for more supplies, though she could hear Cidolfus humming to himself by the fire.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked, smiling guiltily.

"I said, 'you really need to stop being so reckless, Light'. Honestly, this is the third time I've had to repair your pistol-sword!" He looked over the broken metal, tutting. "I'll see what I can do. You'll have to borrow Ashe's sword again, since you're going to Dorter tomorrow with Ramza."

She reached over and embraced him without warning, closing her eyes. Not too sure what was going on, Mustadio patted her back awkwardly.

"You're w-welcome, I suppose," he stammered.


End file.
